Andy Dula ’91, recognized as Alum of the Year, cited Paul the Apostle and his father’s “Keep hope alive” mantra as influences on the way he runs his business as president of the EGStoltzfus construction company.

“Empathy, people before profits, culture building and fun are hallmarks of my business experience of almost 32 years,” he said. “And at this later stage of my career in the organization that I lead, the opportunity to remain diligent about building a business philosophy based on grace, humility and service and to treat one another more gently and more wisely is hopeful and, incidentally, it’s about as fun as it gets.”

Basil Marin ’10, recipient of the Outstanding Young Alum of the Year distinction, dedicated the award to his late father and posed the question “What are you doing to make a difference?” while reflecting on those who have made a difference in his life.

“When looking at a tombstone, there’s only one important piece: the dash in the middle is all that matters,” said Marin, who works with Equity and Community Engagement for Harrisonburg City Public Schools. “What was the dash you left while your time was here? How did you impact others to continue to be better people? … You’ll never see a U-Haul truck behind a hearse. You come into this world with nothing, and you leave with nothing. So I urge you as a people, as a community at EMU, that we give our best each and every day and make sure others have what they need. Our legacy, our dash, will have meant something.”

Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly ’89, awarded the Distinguished Service honor, also spoke on the topic of making a difference, in the public schools and community organizations of Meridian, Mississippi.

Paul Shelly said that as he looked back on his time spent as a teacher, coach, administrator and tech entrepreneur, he couldn’t help but feel his impact had been negligible.

“By worldly metrics, my impact on Mississippi has been minimal, but the transformation that has happened in my life has been immeasurable and I like to think that those along the way I’ve connected with have been similarly transformed,” he said.

His wife, Lisa, talked about how one day early in her teaching career, an eight-year-old girl spoke truth that transformed her.

“She said, ‘Mrs. Shelly, you just don’t understand.’ She was right, I didn’t understand what life was like for her,” Lisa Zendt Shelly said. “Literally, she had to overcome more challenges in her short life than I had in my couple decades. I had much to learn about resilience from her. She taught me it’s not so much about making a difference, but making a connection with another, learning from each other and then we’re both the better for it.”

Crowds of EMU Royals — whether alumni, family, friends, students, faculty or staff — gathered together for Homecoming and Family Weekend 2023 at 48 events over three days. A total of 529 people registered for those events.

Sixty-eight alumni attended the 50th anniversary Class of 1973 reunion, with 206 attending other reunions stretching from 1958 to 2013. Nine members of the oldest class (1958) reunited by Zoom. According to an email from Advancement Office, 169 people registered for the Music Celebration Concert, 180 registered for the opening breakfast and 127 registered for TenTalks.

The most viewed event on Facebook was the Writers Read with Kate Baer, followed by TenTalks at second and the Music Celebration Concert at third.

It would have been impossible to see everything the weekend had to offer, but we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the homecoming highlights, in case you missed it.

• Music Celebration Concert: An Evening with Madeline Bender helped kick off the Homecoming festivities on Friday night. Madeline Bender ’93, an accomplished soprano who’s performed all across the world, provided audiences at Lehman Auditorium with a smorgasbord of musical entertainment. Click here for a longer writeup of the event. A recording of the event can be viewed on the .

• Nearly every seat in the Suter Science Center lecture hall was filled on Saturday, with everyone in attendance on the edge of those seats as they listened to some amazing stories from three EMU alumni at TenTalks. The event, which is modeled after TED Talks, tasks three luminaries with 10 minutes each to impact, influence and inspire the crowd. This year’s speakers were Ryan Gehman ’16, Kevin Ressler ’07 and Madeline Bender ’93. Click here for a longer writeup of the event. A recording of the event can be viewed on the .

• Kate Baer ’07 (right) took the Lehman Auditorium stage on Saturday night to read from her collection of poems, answer questions from the crowd and dispense life and writing advice, all while showcasing her razor-sharp wit. Click here for a longer writeup of the event. A recording of the event can be viewed on the .

• Roughly 250 generous donors and contributors filled Yoder Arena on Friday evening to celebrate another banner year of philanthropy. The five student storytellers recognized at the Donor Appreciation Banquet shared their journey of transformation at EMU thanks to donor giving. Click here for a longer writeup of the event.

• Saturday started off with a bang at the Homecoming Celebration Breakfast held at Yoder Arena. The ceremony honored the recipients of its alumni awards: Andy Dula ’91 (right), Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly ’89 (left) and Basil Marin ’10 (center). It also recognized this year’s Hall of Honor inductees: Miranda White Terry ’08, Jamie Fraysher Runner ’09, Luke Yoder ’08 and the 2003 women’s basketball team.

• Due to the threat of rain, Fall Fest was moved into the gym, where children barreled down inflatable slides, launched themselves into the air in the bounce house and won prizes from a table of giveaways. Several food trucks fed visitors outside the gym as a cart inside scooped Italian ice into cups. While his three children colored with crayons at a nearby table, Luke Yoder, one of the athletes honored earlier that morning, said it was his first time returning for Homecoming. The Iowa resident said it was fun catching up with friends from his class and seeing all the places he had fond memories of.

• Across the hallway from the gym, people packed the athletic suites to honor Roland Landes and his wife, Darlene. Both were present to receive the recognition. Landes, a legendary coach who helmed the most successful men’s cross country and track teams in school history, served EMU from 1967 to 1998 as coach, assistant professor of physical education and as supervisor of auxiliary services. His tenure includes coaching five different teams in four sports from 1967 to 1983, finishing with a career record of 223-141 for a 0.613 win percentage. His son and daughter spoke about his character, their favorite memories of him and how much of an impact he had on them and the broader EMU community.

• President Susan Schultz Huxman and Mayor Deanna Reed spoke to a group of women in the President’s Reception Room about the mission and goals of Royal Women for EMU. The group, led by the visionary trifecta of Reed and co-chairs Louise Hostetter ’79 and Kay Nussbaum ’78, is a new women’s philanthropy and networking initiative to inspire visible leadership, bold investments and empowering networks to impact EMU’s future. Its goal is to raise $70,000 for student scholarships, of which $20,000 will be used for immediate impact grants and $50,000 will go into an endowed scholarship fund to create lasting impact for EMU students.

• Inside the Black Box Theater, Jackie Font-Guzman, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, led a conversation about the DEI efforts on campus. She said that 43.6 percent of the incoming class self-identifies as either Black, Indigenous or Persons of Color. Thirty-five percent of students at EMU are first-generation students. “So knowing that, we have a responsibility to make sure that when our students come here, when our staff comes here, when our faculty comes here, that they really feel like they belong, and they feel like this is their space,” she said.

• Later, DEI staff met with students and alumni to discuss the creation of an LGBTQ+ advisory board. An advisory board typically might provide support and accountability to faculty and staff and can also offer strategic direction to some of the efforts moving forward. Nicole Litwiller, who facilitated the event, described the meeting as “an inaugural conversation” and brainstorming space. “We want to hear all your voices and incorporate them into how this advisory board gets created,” she told attendees gathered at the old Common Grounds location.

• Upstairs at the Common Grounds coffee shop, a platter of mugs invited former employees to step behind the counter and make their own favorite drinks. Returning to campus for her 15-year reunion, Aubrey Kreider ’08, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was in the mood for a hot chai and thanked the current crop of baristas who helped make it for her. “They ended up making it for me because everything is totally different,” said Kreider, who worked at Common Grounds for four years. “All the technology’s been upgraded, and obviously, since it’s in a different space, I didn’t know where anything was.”

• Across campus at Lehman Auditorium, Chamber Singers alumni shared their favorite memories from their time on the choir and joined in song together.

• A pop-up swag shop inside University Commons sold apparel and other wares to passersby. Cassidy Walker, a junior and Royal Ambassador helping man the booth, said well over 100 items had been sold about three hours into being open. She said the blue EMU crewneck was a bestseller. “I almost bought myself a college parent shirt because I’m like the mom of my friend group,” she said.

• Dymphna de Wild, JMU arts professor, showcased her collection of artist books, digital photographs and collages on Friday during a reception at the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery for her “Solace of Silence” exhibition. Some of her works included pictures of found objects atop freshly laid snow and a sprawling book of coffee filters that have been turned into art.

• Saturday saw some success on the pitch with the EMU men’s soccer team besting Ferrum 6-0. The women’s soccer and field hockey teams each lost to Roanoke by a score of 0-4.

• The denouement of the weekend arrived Sunday morning with the Homecoming Worship Service held at Lehman Auditorium. The Chamber Singers led congregants in song and the recipients of this year’s alumni awards addressed the crowd. Click here for a longer writeup of the event.

Photos by Macson McGuigan, Jon Styer/At Ease Design & Consulting, and Rachel Holderman

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect the new position accepted by Dr. Basil Marin.

America’s youth face myriad risks and challenges meeting them head-on. From mental health struggles and bullying to academic concerns and the perils of social media, vulnerable children in the U.S. have a lot on their minds—and many just need someone to show that they care. 

prides himself on being that person, continuing his work with students who act out and struggle in school. By parlaying his lived experiences with advanced degrees in the field of education, he also has blossomed into a sought-after keynote speaker on education topics. 

As selected by ��ݮ����’s Alumni Association and its Awards and Nominations Committee, Marin is the 2023 Outstanding Young Alum of the Year. The Outstanding Young Alum Award is given annually to an alumna or alumnus who, through her or his professional achievement and/or Christ-like compassionate service, is making a significant contribution to the local, national or global community. 

“I am grateful to the EMU community for thinking of me during one of the lowest periods of my adult life,” Marin said of winning the award. “Losing my father a year ago has truly impacted my life in a significant way. Being the Outstanding Young Alum of the Year is not only an honor but a dedication to my father’s legacy of serving others. This award has given me hope in the Bible verse Galatians 6:9, which states, ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’” 

Marin, previously principal of Thomas Harrison Middle School in Harrisonburg, is a self-described “disruptor of the status quo.” Whether he’s in the classroom, mentoring teachers, leading in various capacities or volunteering with professional organizations — he counts at least five he’s currently involved with — Marin stays busy. In the 13 years since leaving EMU with his business administration and management degree in tow, he’s hardly stayed still. 

Marin recently accepted a new position within Harrisonburg City Public Schools, where he will be working with Equity and Community Engagement to extend the work of the office into support of students with disabilities, according to a release from the school division on Friday.

“He always exhibited a remarkable amount of passion, dedication and drive when it came to students, parents and the community,” said Shawn Millaci, principal of Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Virginia. “Basil’s demeanor was calm and supportive, and he always put students, parents, colleagues and stakeholders at ease. He could often be found counseling at-risk students and gave many of our students the hope that they needed to persevere.” 

His master’s degree in special education and teaching from Liberty University preceded a pair of degrees from Old Dominion University, including a PhD in educational leadership and administration. That formal training has proven invaluable since his first high school assistant principal post in 2017. 

As a high school student, Marin’s inspiring mentor instilled in him the power of education. 

“I believe wholeheartedly that I was placed on Earth to help young scholars who have the mentality that they will never amount to anything,” Marin reflected. “Too easily, our underserved youth believe the societal lies that they will never be successful nor have access to quality educational experiences.” 

Marin will be recognized on Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Opening Homecoming Celebration Breakfast in Yoder Arena. Following a morning worship service on Oct. 15, EMU also will host a luncheon in honor of Marin, 2023 Alum of the Year Andy Dula ‘91, and 2023 Distinguished Service Award co-winners Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly ‘89. 

“In order to be a Christian, one must have a personal connection with God,” Marin said. “I struggled with this concept growing up but always felt God calling me in with a small, still voice. As I got older, I started to develop a stronger connection to God, and my years at EMU also helped to deepen my walk with Christ, as many of my professors and other leaders showed me grace and compassion day in and day out.”

“Christianity is a major component in my life, and I could not see me living life any other way.”

“One of the most important tasks of the [EMU and MEA] boards is the appointment of a president,” said MEA board chair Judy Miller. “The charge to the committee is to create a presidential position profile informed by multiple perspectives including existing statements of strategic direction for the university. The committee will review the position profile with both the EMU and MEA boards and promote the position in order to generate a broad range of candidates. Committee work will culminate in recommendation of a candidate of choice to the EMU and MEA boards.”

Andy Dula, president of the EMU Board of Trustees, said, “I am grateful for the diversity of life experiences and perspectives represented by this committee. I am confident that the search committee, led by trustee Evon Bergey, will recommend a president ideally suited for leading and expanding EMU’s mission to educate students to serve and lead in the global context.”

The committee includes:

• Evon Bergey, current EMU board member and chair of the search committee, Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Bergey is Vice President, Operations Public Sector, .
• Shana Peachey Boshart, EMU board member, Wellman, Iowa. Boshart is conference minister for Christian formation, youth ministry, congregational resources and communications for .
• Steve Brenneman, founder and CEO of , Goshen, Indiana. Brenneman is a graduate of EMU and parent of an incoming EMU student. Brenneman previously served on the board of and as an EMU associate trustee.
• Hannah Chappell-Dick, EMU student, Bluffton, Ohio. This fall, Chappell-Dick will be a senior in the EMU Honors Program with a major in biology.
• , PhD., professor at EMU and former academic dean, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Heisey served as president of Mennonite World Conference from 2003-2009.
• Basil Marin, MEA board member, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Marin is a graduate of . He serves as a pastor for , a member congregation of .
• Cedric A. Moore, Jr., chief executive officer of the , Richmond, Virginia. Moore is an EMU graduate and serves as vice-president of the EMU Alumni Council.
• J. Richard Thomas, superintendent of , Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Thomas is a former EMU board member and former moderator for .
• , PhD., EMU professor of , Harrisonburg, Virginia. Sawin is the director of the EMU Honors Program and serves as a member of the Regional Chapters Committee of the American Studies Association.
• Roy Williams, MEA board member, Tampa, Florida. Williams is a retired bank executive, the pastor of and former moderator of Mennonite Church USA.
• Carlos Romero, executive director of Mennonite Education Agency, Goshen, Indiana. Romero is an ex-officio member of the search committee.

The Presidential Search Committee is responsible to both the EMU board and the MEA board. “The 10 search committee members, selected by MEA and EMU board with faculty and student nominations were selected to ensure a wide representation of the voice of the stakeholders,” said Evon Bergey, chair of the search committee. “The committee will work to discern the leadership needs for ��ݮ����, keeping closely in mind the unique contributions that EMU as a church institution has made – past, present and future – to the church, the local community and the world.”

Carlos Romero, executive director of MEA and ex-officio member of the search committee, said, “I believe the committee is well-equipped to search for and recommend a president for EMU who will help lead the institution into the future. The breadth of experience and deep commitment to EMU and Mennonite Church USA is a precious gift that each of the committee members brings to the endeavor.” Romero noted that at the first meeting in July, the committee will lay the groundwork for the search process and refine the presidential profile.

Editor’s note: Anne Kaufman Weaver ’88 was added to the committee after publication of this article. Weaver is from Brownstown, Pennsylvania, and works as a leadership coach with Coaching Connection. Weaver has served, along with her husband, Dr. Todd Weaver, on the Science Campaign Steering Committee. She will graduate in 2016 with a master’s in divinity from Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Basil Marin has a divine education