So, it was fitting that Saturday morning, Kessa took part in a new student resource fair as a member of EMU’s class of 2019.

“I’m really excited,” said the 18-year-old nursing major from Woodstock.

“We looked at a bunch of schools,” Shannon Hawkins said. “But she just kept coming back to EMU.”

While Kessa Hawkins will be commuting to her classes from Woodstock, the campus was filled with resident students and their families loading boxes, bags and other belongings into the residence halls Saturday morning.

Carolann Wengard was among the first-year students.

Wengard, 18, came to EMU from Sugarcreek, Ohio, and said she also learned about the school through her family members.

“My sisters went here too, both of them,” said the pre-engineering and physics major. “And I really liked the connections this place had.”

Amber Olson, 18, of Stanley, said she chose EMU for her degree in elementary education after visiting campus.

“We had a basketball game here,” she said. “I met a lot of the staff, and they were all really nice people.”

Andrea Wenger, EMU’s director of marketing and communications, said Saturday and Sunday was orientation and move-in weekend for 257 freshmen and 54 transfer students. In all, 1,870 students are enrolled this year,聽 Wenger said.

Classes start bright and early Tuesday for the 2015 fall term.

Although Wengard said this was the farthest she’d been from home, she’s looking forward to the school year.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “I can’t wait.”

Courtesy of the Daily News-Record, Aug. 31, 2015

This revision honors the past while featuring elements that speak to themes called for by alumni, students, faculty and staff in an updated design: global awareness, openness, and sharing knowledge and the light of Christ outwardly. It also has a slightly brighter color scheme and updated font.

鈥淭his change marks an evolution of the logo,鈥� notes President. 鈥淚t builds on the past, bringing fresh vitality to our already strong image. We were not looking to 鈥榬ebrand鈥� the institution. Our brand is strong and there is much to celebrate from the past.鈥�

The revision process began in August 2014 with the help of , a Harrisonburg-based brand consultant group.

Stakeholders 鈥� students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff聽鈥� completed surveys and joined in discussion groups. Two main questions generated conversations: 鈥淲hat does the current EMU logo communicate to you?鈥� and 鈥淚f the logo were changed, what should a new or revitalized logo do?鈥�

Unanimously more than 300 respondents called for a revision of the logo, while sharing a concern that any change honor the past and build on EMU鈥檚 global recognition.

The review process resulted in a call for a logo that:

• Balances between and honors the institution鈥檚 past and future;
• Reflects values of peace and justice, transformation and sustainability;
• Reflects the Christian Mennonite values at EMU, sharing knowledge and the light of Christ outwardly;
• Communicates diversity, a global perspective, and the warmth of a welcoming, lasting community;
• Highlights a strong focus on rigorous academics;
• Communicates a bold, vibrant vision.

鈥淭he revitalized logo offers a fresh, forward-thinking impression yet also preserves the brand equity that EMU has earned over the years locally and around the world,鈥� says , director of marketing and communications.

Media specialist聽and brand ID manager , a 2007 graduate of EMU鈥檚 visual and communication arts program, praised the logo’s articulation with the current color scheme and font standards. 鈥淚t solves some design challenges that came with the earlier version, updates our look and provides a lot of opportunity,鈥� he added.

鈥淭his revised logo evolves the brand identity of EMU to reflect how much the brand itself has grown,鈥� says Christian Perritt, creative director of Gravity Group. 鈥淭he bold new icon, the font that is both traditional and uniquely contemporary 鈥� these elements work together to reflect a brand that has a rich history and a bright future.鈥�

Read more about the logo revitalization process at

Since 1994, the center has utilized components of the university鈥檚 parent brand, with a more recent adoption of an icon, the dove carrying an olive branch. The new logo retains traditional symbolism yet integrates a different font style and color spectrum.

鈥淚n the past 20 years, The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding has had a distinctive role on campus, even as it has helped raise EMU鈥檚 profile internationally through its leading-edge peacebuilding work,鈥� says , the center鈥檚 executive director. 鈥淭his first-ever CJP logo symbolizes our unique identity, as we seek to balance domestic peacebuilding efforts with our international work.鈥�

More than 20 years of growth

Since its launching in 1994 as one of the nation’s first academic peacebuilding graduate degree programs, CJP has continued to offer practice-oriented studies towards a master鈥檚 in conflict transformation. The (SPI), which also started in 1994, now attracts approximately 150-200 international peacebuilders in four seven-day sessions. Programmatic growth over the years has led to additional certificate and training programs, such as (STAR) and the . The center will soon launch a master’s degree in restorative justice.

“The word ‘Mennonite’ and the acronyms EMU, CJP, SPI have significant brand name recognition around the world as places to study peacebuilding,” said EMU鈥檚 director of marketing and communications . “We want to build on that so greater numbers of people can join in this community of learning that equips people to serve the common good.”

The new logo, developed by brand ID manager , incorporates a dove, a symbol that has been part of CJP鈥檚 visual identity since its inception more than two decades ago.

The brandmark highlights the center鈥檚 Anabaptist links 鈥� the dove is used in other Mennonite-related organizations 鈥� but includes design elements that highlight the center as a community of practitioners and learners around the core concepts of justice and peacebuilding.

The CJP difference

The logo design was one result of a thorough assessment of CJP’s identity, vision and mission completed in collaboration with , a Harrisonburg, Virginia-based brand and marketing consultancy.

“CJP was an ideal program to work with,” says Gravity Group creative director Christian Perritt, with more than 20 years鈥� experience in the field. “Rarely do you find a brand with such consistent feedback regarding the brand’s story. While it took some hard work to hone in and articulate the key differentiators of CJP’s brand, everyone ultimately embraced the work. This gives incredible clarity for CJP going forward.”

The three-stage review, which took approximately three months in the fall of 2014, included analysis of material gathered from CJP鈥檚 academic programs, as well as STAR assessment reports and SPI attendee interviews. Additionally, two focus groups with representation from across CJP programs were convened.

Four key areas differentiate EMU’s master’s level peacebuilding studies from the dozens of others now available, according to the data.

CJP acts as a nexus for a global community of learning, with more than 500 graduates working around the world in different settings. Since 1994, SPI has attracted approximately 2,800 students of diverse faiths from 120 countries for academic instruction and cultural exchange.

CJP鈥檚 core peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and restorative justice curriculum remains unique in its hands-on practice-based style of learning. Coursework is led by faculty with years of experience in international peacebuilding and community development. All graduates complete practicums and report on learnings in a capstone presentation.

A focus on restorative justice and the implicit healing power in communicative, relational practices 鈥� first developed by retiring professor 鈥� lies at the heart of CJP鈥檚 core values.

Finally, CJP operates out of a values-based paradigm that integrates the Anabaptist values.

“People from many faith traditions are comfortable at EMU,” notes Byler. “In fact, other faith traditions, and even those of no professed faith, resonate with our core values and respect our Christian identity even as we learn from the valuable perspectives they bring to this community.鈥�

The new logo design is being used on print pieces beginning in May. By late summer, a revamped interactive website featuring the new brand identification will be launched with tools for networking among the more than 3,000 alumni of CJP programs.

New programming will include weeknight showcases of live recordings by well-known orchestras, including ones in Chicago, Pittsburgh and New York. On Saturday afternoons, the station will also air a classical music program, 鈥�,鈥� hosted in both English and Spanish and focusing on Latin American composers. The full new schedule is available .

Classical music during the weeknights will replace the evening jazz shows on WEMC. With the changes, the station will also drop its news programs from and the (these can still be accessed via the Internet).

Station manager Al Bartholet said listener surveys showed that classical music was the overwhelming reason that people have been tuning in to the station. Adding more classical music programming will give WEMC鈥檚 audience more of the music it enjoys and help the station form a more coherent identity 鈥� an important part of keeping and growing a radio audience, he added.

WEMC will continue its Sunday morning broadcasts of services at , and will add a encore broadcast (Wednesdays at 8 p.m.) of 鈥�,鈥� a 90-minute music show hosted by EMU professor emeritus John Horst.

鈥淚t is probably the most popular program on WEMC. It鈥檚 the 鈥楥ar Talk鈥� of WEMC,鈥� said program manager Matt Bingay. 鈥淚f you鈥檝e got a hit on your hands, get more mileage out of it. Repeat it. Give people another opportunity.鈥�

Horst, who began recording episodes of his show more than a decade ago, said it was 鈥渘ice to get the affirmation鈥� about his show. He acknowledged that it鈥檚 getting harder to find new material 鈥� there are only so many Mennonite acappella recordings out there 鈥� but continues to follow up on suggestions from listeners and friends, and rummage at places like for rarities. He also often receives copies of new recordings of groups and Mennonite colleges and elsewhere, and plans to continue creating new episodes as often as he can.

Founded in 1955 as a gift from the class of 1954, WEMC is the oldest public radio station in Virginia. From its transmission tower on the crest of the hill west of EMU, WEMC鈥檚 signal can reach up to 88,000 people who live within a 25-mile radius of the university. By the end of the year, the station鈥檚 aging transmitter will be replaced with a new one to ensure more reliable service.

WEMC is also streamed online, and through a new smartphone or tablet . In 2007, James Madison University鈥檚 radio station and Harrisonburg鈥檚 National Public Radio affiliate, WMRA-90.7 FM, assumed management of WEMC, with the concurrence and ongoing input of EMU officials.

鈥淲e’re pleased with the ongoing partnership between EMU and JMU to manage public radio offerings for the region,鈥� said , EMU director of and a member of the WEMC advisory group. 鈥淲EMC is a gem that we want to preserve. Changing technologies and limited resources made that unfeasible for EMU alone. With the stations’ financial stability and growing listenership through careful program planning, the future of Harrisonburg鈥檚 two public radio stations looks secure.鈥�

鈥淲e are delighted that Louise is willing to share her people skills, organizational gifts, eye for detail and enthusiasm with EMU at this important time in our history,鈥� said , EMU鈥檚 director of marketing and communications.

Hostetter will work with those giving leadership to various aspects of the year鈥檚 celebrations, including large-venue events involving music, theater and art; alumni gatherings; worship services; academic department gatherings; storytelling; and displays. She will oversee the master schedule and manage the centennial budget.

鈥淓MU began with the vision of relatively few people and has grown over the past 100 years to a global community,鈥� said Hostetter. 鈥淲ith the resources of those who are currently involved with EMU as well as those with past connections, we can explore and honor the history of EMU with a variety of events in 2017-18 as well as celebrate the vision going forward.鈥�

Hostetter also serves on: the advisory boards for and the arts complex at James Madison University; the church council of ; and the board of .

In 2011-13 she co-chaired the capital campaign for the and in 2010-11 she was president of the EMU Alumni Council. From 1999 to 2012 she was an intensive individualized instructor at .

Coming to EMU from Arcola, Ill., Hostetter majored in English education and met her future husband, Alden Hostetter ’79, a pathologist. All three of their sons have attended EMU.

A 10-member planning task force began meeting in 2008 鈥渢o plan for a centennial plan,鈥� said Wenger. The task force , a 1967 graduate who is the nation鈥檚 best-known writer on Amish and Mennonite culture. A sociologist by training, he is a professor at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania and the author of dozens of publications.

A page on the EMU website, , invites submissions of stories and photographs for centennial celebration use and ideas for the centennial committee to consider.

The centennial celebrations will last throughout the academic year of 2017-18. The biggest gathering will likely be during Homecoming & Parents Weekend in October. A worship service on Oct. 19 will mark exactly 100 years since the start of classes in 1917.

More information

In a statement released Oct. 24, the conferred a bronze award on EMU, making EMU the third university in Virginia, following Virginia Commonwealth (silver award) and George Mason (also a bronze), to be recognized by the League as a bicycle friendly university.

From her office in Washington DC, Nicole Wynands, the League鈥檚 bicycle friendly America program specialist, said EMU was one of the smallest universities to compete for the award. Of the 44 universities on the 鈥淏FU Master Award List,鈥� EMU and one other university (Chatham in Pittsburgh) are the only small, private institutions. Grand award winners are Stanford (platinum) and two branches of the University of California, at Davis and at Santa Barbara (both gold).

A total of 41 universities have earned silver and bronze awards, almost all of them being large state-supported institutions, such as the Colorado State University, Oregon State University, the University of Maryland at College Park, Michigan State University and Florida State University. EMU earned a spot among the 25 bronze honorees for creating a culture in which faculty, staff and students see bicycling as the norm. EMU鈥檚 steps include removing on-street parking spaces to set up a bicycle lane, putting bike racks in and storage areas around campus, having a bicycle coop for bike repair, and collecting recycling with a bicycle-pulled trailer.

The University of Virginia also applied for an award from the League and was granted an 鈥渉onorable mention鈥� for 2012-13.

鈥淥ctober 24 is also Campus Sustainability Day 2012,鈥� said Andrea Wenger, EMU director of . 鈥淩eceiving the bicycle-friendly award on this particular day points to EMU鈥檚 commitment to reducing the use of fossil fuels and improving the sustainability of our campus as well as the health of our people.鈥�

More information about the bicycle league and its awards can be found at .

EMU’s Crossroads magazine won a major award this year from the southeast district of the .

Competing against dozens of magazines produced by larger institutions, Crossroads received a “special merit award” in the category of “magazine publishing improvement.”

The other winners in this category were magazines produced in 2007 by Furman University in South Carolina, Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, the University of Alabama, the University of Miami, Brenau University in Georgia and Barry University in Florida.

The southeast CASE district consists of 565 universities, secondary schools and other institutions involved in higher education from Washington D.C. to Florida. The magazine awards ceremony will be held at the CASE annual regional conference in Atlanta, Ga., on Feb. 19.

Crossroads is published quarterly and distributed to 16,000 alumni, students, parents and friends of the university.

The award confirms informal feedback sent by alumni, such as this Jan. 20 2008 e-mail to the editor from Daniel Lehman, a 1972 graduate who is now professor of English at Ashland University in Ohio: “I have really enjoyed Crossroads in the past year. You are doing an outstanding job (as one journalist to another), and I love the way that EMU is highlighting its distinctive mission as well as the peace and justice programs.”

Betsy Robertson, magazine editor at Auburn University in Alabama and one of the CASE contest organizers, said Crossroads emerged as a winner because “the judges were impressed with the change in editorial direction to focus on current issues and provocative topics rather than the usual mundane assortment of event snapshots, fundraising updates and ‘successful alumni’ profiles.”

Robertson added that the results were especially notable “for a small staff.”

In last year

Sojourners is a faith-based organization in Washington, D.C., with a mission to “articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world.”

The Emerging Leaders Track, for participants age 30 and under, seeks to train and empower young faith-inspired leaders to help lead the movement to overcome poverty. The event, to be held at the National City Christian Church in Washington, D.C., is expected to draw nearly 1,000 registrants.

A Monday evening forum on “Faith, Values and Poverty” will feature leading Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards at George Washington University.

CNN will provide live coverage of the event.

Making Connections

As sponsor of the Emerging Leaders Track, EMU will have the opportunity to connect personally and through written materials with hundreds of people under age 30.

“Participants at this conference will be people who share EMU’ s core values of following Christ’s call to ‘witness faithfully, serve compassionately and walk boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace,'”said Andrea Wenger, EMU director of marketing and communications, quoting from the university’ s mission statement.

EMU leadership, including President Loren Swartzendruber, and staff will be present throughout the conference and anticipate participating in a reception for the candidates’ spouses.

EMU representatives also will be part of the program at a Tuesday evening Emerging Leaders Dinner, where Shane Claiborne of The Simple Way will be guest speaker. The Simple Way is a community of faith located in Philadelphia, Pa., committed “To love God, to love people and to follow Jesus,” according to their web site.

More information is available at www.sojourners.com

The book, by the publishers of “Choosing the Right College,” is scheduled to hit the shelves of major bookstores across the United States this month.

“We did not initiate this,” said Andrea Schrock Wenger, director of at EMU. “EMU