Les Horning has been a pastor, bus driver, chemist, house painter and doctoral student of Hebrew. Now he is a full-time advocate for Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg, Va., as associate director of development, church relations and admissions. He is also the father of an EMU undergrad.
鈥淲hen I was a student here in 1995, I knew I wanted to return some day as faculty or staff,鈥� said Horning. 鈥淎s a student here I felt like a balloon that had lifted off the earth. Suddenly my horizons seemed endless. I have always wanted to help other students have that experience.鈥�
Horning is responsible for both seminary fundraising and recruiting of students. He aims to grow the seminary annual fund and build a $2 million dollar scholarship endowment.
鈥淭he current economic situation makes it a challenging time to raise money,鈥� he says, 鈥淏ut I see great possibilities for strengthening small givers and broadening our base of supporters.鈥�
Actually, Horning says hard times prompt many people to focus on what is really important, including a strong seminary preparing much-needed church and community leaders.
鈥淧eople are looking for things to believe in and to belong to,鈥� he says.
In his admissions duties, Horning is working in tandem with Anita Fonseca, a new seminary student and admissions assistant, from Chile, both will work under the leadership of Laura Amstutz, MDiv 鈥�06, director of seminary admissions.
Horning earned a BS from EMU in 1986, majoring in biology and chemistry. He completed an MDiv here in 1998. He and his wife Crystal have two daughters, 20-year-old Anya at EMU and Alanah, 18.