You’re not alone in this world, you see.
You’ll always have a beloved community.
We’re here to back you up when you fall.
So go bravely, but please call.
— Makinto, “Go Bravely, But Please Call”
EMU honored members of the Class of 2026 at its Graduate Celebration and Sending service on Saturday evening in Lehman Auditorium. The event featured a faculty address by Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, senior class salutations from co-presidents Genesis Figueroa and Arelys Martinez Fabian, and the presentation of the senior class gift, along with prayer, music, and poetry from graduates.
Graduates were joined by family, friends, supporters, and EMU faculty, staff, and administrators to celebrate their accomplishments and the unique gifts they bring to their communities and the world.
Formerly known as Baccalaureate, the annual ceremony offers graduates an opportunity to “look back with pride and look forward with courage,” Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said in her welcome. “It’s a space to breathe deeply, reflect on all that has brought you to this moment, and prepare your heart and spirit for what lies ahead.”
Graduates were joined by family, friends, supporters, and EMU faculty, staff, and administrators.
Senior class co-presidents Arelys Martinez Fabian and Genesis Figueroa deliver the senior class salutations (left). Dr. Tynisha Willingham welcomes the audience in Lehman Auditorium on Saturday evening (right).
In a shared address highlighting their close partnership, Figueroa and Martinez Fabian reflected on their experiences at EMU and encouraged graduates to carry what they’ve learned into every space they enter.
From late-night study sessions at Common Grounds Coffeehouse to “those dreadful group assignments,” campus became not just a place to take classes, but where they discovered who they are, the senior class co-presidents said.
“EMU has a way of pushing us, not just academically but personally,” they said. “It asks us to think critically, engage with people who are different from us, and consider how we want to show up in the world.”
“EMU doesn’t just prepare us for what’s next. It challenges us to think about why we do what we do,” they continued. “To consider how we can contribute to something bigger than ourselves, whether in our careers, our communities, or the everyday choices we make.”
Ethan Neufeld, senior class business manager, and Maria Longenecker, senior class secretary, presented the class gift to Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus. Each year, the senior class selects a meaningful gift that reflects their shared experience and leaves a lasting legacy. This year, the Class of 2026 chose to fund improvements to the EMU Game Room in the University Commons, expanding options for students, faculty, and staff.
Eli Stoll performs the opening song, “The Lord Lift You Up” (Voices Together 832).
Dr. Tara Kishbaugh (left) delivers the faculty address. Ethan Neufeld, senior class business manager, presents Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus with the senior class gift (right).
In her address titled “Go bravely…but please call,” Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success, urged graduates to keep a firm belief in themselves and hold onto their optimism. The longtime professor drew from her chemistry curriculum, likening the graduates’ situation to molecules in a transition state.
“This transition state is a normal part of transformation,” she said. “Butterflies don’t force it. The struggle is part of the becoming.”
She also reminded graduates that they didn’t arrive at Commencement weekend alone. “Look at the love that has brought you here,” she said. “…You belong to each other, and you belong to us. You’ve left a mark on EMU, and hopefully you will see the imprint of EMU in your future selves as little ripples.”
Graduate Celebration and Sending featured gathering music from Naomi Kratzer; an opening blessing from Sarah Prroj; an opening song from Eli Stoll; a performance of Stephen Paulus’ “The Road Home” by senior Chamber Singers members Erin Batten, Lauren Kauffman, Naomi Kratzer, Hollyn Miller, Jacob Nissley, Eli Stoll, Joshua Stucky, and Sean Swartley; poetry readings from Miranda Beidler and Emily Suarez Nunez; a sending blessing from Brian Martin Burkholder; sending music from Makinto; and reflections from senior class advisors Mark Metzler Sawin and Jonathan Swartz, who also handed out EMU pins.
Graduates received pins representing the wisdom they’ve shared and the investment and commitment they’ve made during their time as students. They were encouraged to wear the pins at Commencement and beyond, honoring how EMU has supported them in their learning and growth.
Mark Metzler Sawin and Jonathan Swartz, senior class advisors, offer their reflections.
Miranda Beidler (left) shares original poetry, while Sarah Prroj (right) gives an opening blessing.
During their four years at EMU, much has changed, Metzler Sawin told the graduates. Presidents, both nationally and at EMU, have changed, as has the power and scope of artificial intelligence. “But most importantly, yourselves,” he said. “You’ve grown in many ways during these same four years.”
Much has also stayed the same: “The significance of human connection, the value of genuine relationships, and the core values that made you the unique and significant person you were when you arrived here and still are today,” he added.
In her opening blessing, Prroj reflected on the moments that have challenged her and the relationships that have shaped her into who she is today. EMU didn’t just educate her, she said, but also formed her, teaching her how to lead, listen, care, and become part of something bigger than herself. Sharing the words of pastor Rick Warren, she said that when people take their final breath, no one asks for their trophies, achievements, or diplomas.
“They asked for the people they love,” she said. “Because in the end, it’s not what we accomplish that matters most. It’s who we share our lives with. And that’s what makes EMU so special. It’s not just a place of learning, but a place of community where we’re known, supported, and shaped by one another.”
Watch a video recording of the ceremony below!
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