“That first or second week, I thought, ‘I’m not gonna make it. This is my last semester here, and I’m not coming back,’” she recalled.

But then, she said, she began forming deep connections with her professors.

“Going to school with students nearly half my age, I felt a little more connected with my professors than with my fellow students,” she said. “When I started making those connections, I had this feeling that I was going to be OK after all.”

She had met her advisor, English Professor Dr. Kevin Seidel, during an open house the previous fall. “He checked in one day to make sure I was doing all right,” Beachy said. “We talked about how my experience was going, and that was super helpful.”

Beachy graduated with degrees in English and writing studies last spring after five semesters at EMU. She had transferred to the university from online classes at Blue Ridge Community College. By the time she enrolled at EMU, she had already spent four years teaching at the church school she graduated from and another 10 years developing curriculum at in Harrisonburg.

When Beachy, who lives in Staunton, expressed interest in pursuing a bachelor’s degree, a co-worker at Christian Light recommended EMU. He thought the close-knit community would be a good fit for her, and he was right.

“The fact that EMU is small makes it more personable,” she said. “I feel like you get to know your professors better. I didn’t know that when I started, but I’ve enjoyed that.”

She mentioned Dr. Marti Eads and Chad Gusler as faculty members she’s grown close to. “I appreciate the connections I made here, and I feel that some of my professors are still my friends,” she said. “They’re people I connect with when I see them, which is really useful.”

Beachy worked part-time at Christian Light while taking classes as a full-time student and tried to find courses that fit her busy schedule. When the registrar suggested she take a sociology class, she enrolled in Dr. Gaurav Pathania’s class.

She described the sociology professor as “very personable” and fondly recalled that he served chai and cookies in class. “That was something I always enjoyed,” Beachy said. “We would have discussions outside of class, too, and it was interesting to hear his perspectives on life in India versus life here.” She enjoyed his introductory sociology class so much that she signed up for more classes with Pathania. Those sociology classes helped her think about the world differently and better understand social issues.

Pathania remembers Beachy as never missing a class and demonstrating a level of thoughtfulness and maturity that set her apart. “Joyce is truly one of the most exceptional students I have encountered in my five years of teaching at EMU,” he wrote.

Through a “Local Context” intercultural program, Beachy spent a summer studying various neighborhoods and social groups in Harrisonburg. That experience led her to try different ethnic restaurants in the area. “I still enjoy doing that to this day,” she said.

Last spring, Beachy served as an editorial intern for EMU’s marketing and communications department, writing many well-received articles for EMU News. She attended the 2025 Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship Conference and wrote a recap about it. Her story about the intercultural to Guatemala and Mexico was one of the most read stories of 2025. She also wrote about an initiative by the Latinx Student Alliance to distribute “Know Your Rights” cards to members of Harrisonburg’s immigrant community. At the same time, she volunteered to help adult English learners at EMU’s Intensive English Program, which was at the heart of another article written by her.

Near the end of her time at EMU, Beachy was promoted to the role of literacy coordinator at Christian Light Publications. She said her employer is helping reimburse her for tuition costs.

“In the (conservative Mennonite) setting where I come from, it’s not as common for people to pursue higher education,” she said. “They didn’t have any program in place to help with tuition costs, but now they want to offer it to others who want to go to college, which I’m really excited about. It means some reimbursement for me, but it also opens a path for other people.”

Beachy said there are advantages to attending college as a nontraditional, older student. She met students who knew what they wanted to do and were serious about studying, as well as others who were in college because their parents wanted them there. “They didn’t know what they were doing,” she said. “I always felt sorry for them and wished they could just go out and work for a couple years and figure out what they actually wanted to do.”

She mentioned reading The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that was turned into a Brad Pitt movie a couple decades ago.

“It’s about a guy who’s born an old man, and he goes through life backwards,” she said. “I’ve thought about that story sometimes with my experience at EMU. I felt like I was doing things backwards. Most people go to school and then start their careers. I did my career first, then went to school. But I’m really glad I did it. Now, if I have friends in their 30s who say, ‘Oh, I want to go to college,’ I tell them, ‘Yeah, you should. It’s absolutely worth it.’”

The baccalaureate service offers graduates an opportunity to pause and reflect on their journey as they prepare their hearts and spirit for what lies ahead. “It is a moment to look back with pride and to look forward with courage,” said Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, in her welcome. The graduates were joined by family members, friends, supporters, and EMU faculty, staff, and administrators to celebrate their achievements.

EMU President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, in her address “You are Salt of the Earth and Light to the World!”, reflected on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and offered three lessons: be other-centered, not me-centered; pay attention to the redemptive love offered all around you, even in brokenness; and step out of your comfort zone and build bridges to solve societal problems.

“My wish for you, Class of 2025, is that you vanquish your fears as you become shakers of salt and beacons of light in your homes, your neighborhoods, your churches, your workplaces, and your communities,” Huxman said.

Huxman, who has served as EMU’s ninth president for the past nine years, is retiring this year. Throughout her two terms, she has worked diligently to help EMU fulfill its Anabaptist mission, inspired by Micah 6:8, to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

Chad Gusler, associate professor of language and literature, delivered the faculty address titled “The Sound of Your Love Saying Goodbye.” In his humorous and enlightening message to graduates, the wordsmith reflected on monsters, recounting childhood memories of living near a fantastical, kid-eating monster, and how he later transformed into a tickle monster for his own children. “But here’s the truth: I’m not the only monster in this room,” he said. “You all are monsters, graduating with a BA in monsterhood.”

“You show us, professors, administrators, all the parents out there, who we are,” Gusler said. “Because monsters are mirrors, reflecting the best, and sometimes even the worst, of us. So check your limbs, walk without fear, and embrace your monstrosity.”

Mana Acosta and Meredith Lehman, senior class co-presidents, provided the senior class salutations, reflecting on their experiences as EMU students. Acosta, a Cords of Distinction recipient, spoke about the beauty of transition and of the “gravity to leaving a place” and saying goodbye.

“Some of us are headed into jobs, grad school, or that uncertain place in between,” she said. “But no matter where we land, we carry something from EMU: the quiet belief that we are responsible to the world around us. We’ve learned that justice isn’t only an idea, it’s a habit you practice, and that hope isn’t soft, it’s stubborn. So here we are, standing at the edge of something new. It’s going to be scary, but we’re not doing it alone.”

Lehman, the first EMU student to receive the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, spent the spring semester at the Washington Community Scholars’ Center. She reflected on how living so close to the “upheaval and chaos” in Washington, D.C., taught her an important lesson: “There are people who care, working in quiet persistence” to fight injustice. “There are networks of resistance all around the world, whether you see them or not. This school has prepared us all to be those people.”

“The world needs you desperately,” Lehman told the graduates. “I wait in eager anticipation to see all of my fellow graduates emerge from this institution with vigor, hope, and vision for the world.”

Aja Laun, senior class business manager, and Iris Anderson, senior class secretary, presented the senior class gift to Huxman. The undergraduate Class of 2025 raised money for improvements to the “grasscrete” pathway between the Sadie Hartzler Library and University Commons.

Graduates received an EMU pin 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 pin at Commencement and beyond to celebrate their EMU experience.

Following the service, the graduates, their families, and EMU faculty and staff were invited to a President’s Reception held in the Campus Center Greeting Hall. The event provided an opportunity for graduates and family members to meet with faculty, staff, and administrators, mingle with one another while they remained on campus, and enjoy refreshments.

The ceremony featured piano music from Mikayla Pettus ’25 and adjunct faculty member Harold Bailey, singing from Emma Nord ’25 and Cassidy Williams ’25, and a poetry reading from Alexis Lewis ’25.  Marciella Shallomita ’25 led the prayer of invocation. Professors Dr. Kevin Seidel and Dr. Timothy Seidel, senior class advisors, read scripture passages from Micah 6:6-8 and Matthew 5:1-16. Jonathan Swartz, dean of students, offered the reflection and ritual, and Brian Martin Burkholder, university chaplain, provided the sending blessing.

Hosted by the Provost’s Office, the 16th annual EMU Authors’ Reception and Awards Presentation on Thursday, April 17, recognized and celebrated the winners of the university’s Excellence in Teaching Awards. Professors Chad Gusler, Hannah Ferguson, and Hilary Moore were announced as this year’s recipients.

The award celebrates the outstanding teaching work of faculty in three categories: professors and associate professors, assistant professor and instructors, and adjunct faculty. Recipients were selected based on four criteria: impact on students, effective teaching practices, subject content knowledge, and continual growth, according to Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs at EMU, who presented the awards.

“Educating our students is our most important task, and these awards honor faculty members whose teaching not only imparts knowledge, but also transforms lives, embodies our mission and values, and most of all, advances what it means to be part of a peace and justice university,” Willingham said.

Chad Gusler
Associate professor of language & literature

Students remarked on Gusler’s passion for teaching and the creative ways he brings material to life. One student shared: “He captured our attention every day. We read a book that was so thought-provoking that it pushed us all to think beyond what we were used to. He connected the book to olive oil, and we had a tasting with crackers that was fun and interactive. Chad cares so deeply for his students and wants us all to succeed in and out of class.”

Hannah Ferguson
Assistant professor of nursing

Students spoke highly of Ferguson’s impact in the classroom. One student wrote about her ability to connect classroom content to real-life personal experiences, “which allows the material to feel real and not just a lecture slide.” Another student wrote that Ferguson is “always reassuring us of our capabilities as students and future nurses.”

Hilary Moore
Adjunct faculty in criminology and criminal justice

Students wrote passionately about Moore’s teaching abilities. One shared: “Her teaching style is straightforward and clear, ensuring we’re all well-prepared. Her exams are based on class discussions and lecture materials, reinforcing what we’ve learned in a fair and meaningful way.”

Members of the Faculty Senate, which facilitates the nomination and election process for the awards, handed out plaques to the recipients. 

Student writing awards

The ceremony also recognized the winners of the First-Year Writing Awards, which are given to three first-year students for their “excellent research papers,” according to Dr. Mary Ann Zehr, director of the writing & communication program.��

• First place: Nataly Almendarez Funez for “Emotional Intelligence: Influence in Academic Success.”��
• Second place: Luke Buckwalter for “Bombs, Terrorists, and Automobiles: Stories of Tree Resilience Through Tragedy, and the Role of Much Needed Human Intervention.”
• Third place: Leah Blough for “Purls of Wisdom: What Knitters Want to Express.”

Student academic awards

The ceremony also honored the recipients of EMU’s student academic awards, which were presented by Daniel Ott, dean of the School of Theology, Humanities and Performing Arts and interim dean of the School of Social Sciences and Professions; and Tara Kishbaugh, dean of the School of Sciences, Engineering, Arts, and Nursing.

Awards for Theology, Humanities and Performing Arts��

• History Student of the Year: Ella Brubaker
• Political Science Student of the Year: Meredith Lehman
• Outstanding Student in Music: Reah Clymer and Cassidy Williams
• Excellence in Music Performance: Thaddeus Jackson
• Excellence in Musical Leadership: Mikayla Pettus

Awards for Sciences, Engineering, Arts, and Nursing��

• Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student: Zoe Clymer and Sophie Nguyen
• Outstanding Senior Biology Student: Meredith Lehman and Elaine Miranda Perez
• Excellence in Undergraduate Research: Aja Laun and Ethan Neufeld
• Natural Science Award for Exceptional Service: Ethan Neufeld and Adesola Johnson
• Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student:�� Malachi Peachey-Stoner and Claire Reichenbach
• Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student:�� William Bartel and Kate Krabill
• Outstanding Senior in Engineering: Laura Benner
• Special Recognition in Engineering: Adam Stoltzfus
• Outstanding Senior Environmental Science Student: Allysen Welty Peachey
• Outstanding Senior in Computer Science: Kervens Hyppolite
• Outstanding Senior in Mathematics: Sarah Deputy and Marciella Shallomita
• Kryptos Codebreaking Contest winners: Mana Acosta, Laura Benner, and Renae Benner, who were awarded for Turing level achievement
• Judy H. Mullet Award for Psychology Internship Excellence: Rachel Tusing
• Galen R. Lehman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research in Psychology: Sarah Peak

Awards for Social Sciences and Professions

• Exceptional Service and Leadership in Business and Leadership: Caleb Chupp
• Outstanding Recreational and Sport Management Senior: Brendan Apgar
• Outstanding Business Administration Senior: Grace Fravel
• Outstanding Business Analytics Senior and the Leadership Award: Levi Myers
• Outstanding Accounting Senior: Isaac North-Sandel
• Outstanding Economics Senior and Outstanding Achievement in Business and Leadership: Garrett Nyce
• Outstanding Marketing Senior: Eli Ours
• Exceptional Research in Business and Leadership: Laney Cline
• The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding’s Academic Awards for 2025: Hannah Gilman, Josiah Ludwick, Mariana Meksimous, and Jacob Sankara
• The Virginia Scholars Award in Undergraduate Teacher Education: Erika Lopez

Authors’ Reception

In addition to the awards presentation, the event showcased the published scholarly works of faculty, staff, and students from the past two years. Featured faculty authors included: Kirsten Eve Beachy, Benjamin Bergey, Peter Bunton, Martha Green Eads, Paula Facci, Ryan Good, Benjamin Guerrero, Jim Leaman, Gaurav Pathania, Heike Peckruhn, Mark Sawin, Timothy Seidel, Ron Shultz, Andrew Suderman, Paul Yoder, and Mary Ann Zehr.��

EMU student Jadon Harley performed saxophone music for the reception, which was held in University Commons at the Orie O. Miller Hall of Nations and in the Student Union.��

Thanks to Clay Showalter for assisting with audiovisuals for the event and to the “three Jens”—Jennifer Ulrich, Jennifer North Bauman, and Jen Jones—and Debra Pardini for their role in coordinating aspects of the reception.

This is the story of five student-athletes who, amidst nursing clinicals, cross-country practices, late nights with friends and early mornings of exams, became ��ݮ����’s . Their story is told in the student-produced documentary film Persist.

Follow the team as they pound mile after mile on foot, bicycle, and in the water. The film was shot and produced by students in Professor Jerry Holsopple’s video production class at races, on the track, and in the pool.

Watch the trailer:

Women’s triathlon is labeled a “emerging sport” within the NCAA, so all events and championships include teams from Division I-III. This means the team regularly competed against much larger schools in their four-event season, culminating in an October qualifier for the national championships. Senior Abigail Shelly ended her season with a finish in Tempe, Arizona. 

From pre-competition jitters to simply mastering the many skills of three different sports, the film showcases how individual courage and dedication inspired the entire team. Senior Emma Hoover particularly struggled to learn how to swim competitively.

In the documentary, Hoover recalls, “we get to the point where we’re starting our swim warm-ups, and there’s this moment, where Abigail will look at everybody, and Abigail goes, ‘okay, no more negative thoughts.’ And she did it every single race. And I just felt like, ‘okay … now is the time to just let it all go, this is what it is. It’s time to work.’”

The team included Hoover, a history, social science and education major; Shelly, an education and liberal arts major; Mim Beck, a nursing major, Lydia Chappell Deckert, an English major; and Leah Lapp, a biology and chemistry double-major.

The team is coached by . 

The video production crew is Keith Bell, Mykenzie Davis, Ethan Green, Jared Oyer, and Anthony Parker.

Shelly finished eighth in the East Regional Qualifier at Smith Mountain Lake State Park, and will head to the USA Triathlon-sanctioned national race of the Lake Pleasant Olympic & Sprint Triathlon on Nov. 3 in Peoria, Arizona.

She came out of the water 12th and held her own in the bike before running a 21:23 5k, which was the seventh best among the D-III participants. Shelly finished in 1:12:10.

 (New Carlisle, Ohio/Tecumseh) continued her season-long improvement in the swim leg before making a move up in the run. She ran a 22:39 5k to move up to 17th in the standings.

 (Lowville, N.Y./Beaver River Central) had her best bike of the season for the ��ݮ���� women, while  (North Newton, Kan./Newton) and  (Woodstock, Vt./Archbold) each had their best run.

East Regional Qualifier
Top Finisher:  – 8th of 44 (1:12:10)
Full Team:  – 17th (1:16:38);  – 30th (1:23:11);  – 32nd (1:24:08);  – 44th (1:34:16)

Coach Bob Hepler said:
EMU Triathlon participated in the NCAA Regional Championship today and they saved their best race for last! But wait!  stormed into the top ten with a blazing run leg to claim a spot at Nationals!  What an amazing accomplishment for a first year triathlete who happens to be EMU’s premier cross country runner.

 and  also had their best races of the year. Emma has an amazing story. Six months ago, she was totally new to competitive swimming and biking. She has turned into a respectable swimmer and a very strong rider. She also had one of the top runs of the day to finish in the top twenty. Leah’s incredible improvement on the bike led to by far her best race of the year.  and  capped their first season of triathlon with their best run legs of the year.

It’s been a wonderful first year. Coaches Joanna Friesen and Chad Gusler put in many hours simply because they wanted to see the program start strong.  They are great coaches and selfless people.  Now it’s on to Nationals for Abigail!

Five women committed to the first season of EMU Triathlon and overcame many obstacles. The challenges of training for three sports while maintaining tough academic schedules was truly overwhelming for all five athletes. They will always be loved and appreciated by future teams for all of the sacrifices they made.

Women’s collegiate triathlon, which features a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride and a 5-kilometer run, is classified by the NCAA as an “emerging sport.”

Leading the way for the addition, ��ݮ���� received a three-year grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation. With the grant essentially covering the expenses of the program through the 2021-22 season, and qualified coaches already on campus, Hepler said EMU was prepared to jump on a good wave and ride it.

“There is already an interest in the sport from the women of EMU,” he said, “and we have expert coaches on campus who are also enthusiastic. And there was this small window in time that if EMU acted quickly that we could apply for and receive a grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation that would pay for the first three years of the sport. We needed to act quickly to take advantage of the moment and, with the support of our administration, we did. As a result, we officially received a generous USA Triathlon Foundation grant, and we start practice on August 18. Kowabunga!”

Hepler himself spent many years as a competitive triathlete and participated seven times in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joanna Friesen will also give time to the new women’s triathlon team, and Professor��Chad Gusler, an accomplished swim coach, will take on an assistant coach spot.

“A year ago, women’s triathlon at EMU wasn’t part of the conversations around strategic initiatives for enrollment growth,” King said. “However, the convergence of forces has created the ‘perfect storm’ and we are very excited about adding this new program. Bob Hepler’s knowledge, experience and passion for the sport, along with Shenandoah Valley’s rich biking culture, the interest level of distance runners in triathlon, the increased use of water training for runners and of course the support from USA Triathlon and funding opportunities from the USA Triathlon Foundation all add up to this being the ideal time to add the sport.”

With the addition of women’s triathlon, EMU now sponsors 19 collegiate sports. Women’s lacrosse will also be starting play in the spring of the 2019-20 academic year.

“USA Triathlon is pleased to welcome ��ݮ���� — a school that not only offers excellent academic and athletic opportunities, but also prioritizes service, social justice and global engagement — to the women’s NCAA triathlon family,” said Rocky Harris, CEO of USA Triathlon. “We are proud of the fact that, with the addition of EMU, prospective varsity triathletes now have eight universities in USA Triathlon’s Mideast Region to choose from.”

Because of the status of the sport, collegiate teams can participate in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon, yet not necessarily hosted by an NCAA institution. Hepler is building a schedule for this fall to include events at various locations around Virginia, such as nearby in Charlottesville and Richmond.

With the cross training already being used in his program, Hepler says triathlon will supplement what he does with his runners in cross country and track and field. He envisions some of the women on his team participating in both sports.

King is also excited how triathlon could benefit existing students but also give EMU a unique draw to prospective students.

“There is always excitement when new opportunities are made available to student-athletes in their pursuit of a holistic educational experience,” King said. “I’m grateful for the leadership that Coach Hepler has, and will continue to provide in establishing this program. Of course, this isn’t possible without the support of USA Triathlon, whose staff have been excellent to work with.”

Hepler is hosting an informational meeting this Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Conference Room in the EMU Athletic Suite. The time is geared towards EMU students interested in joining the team, although anyone with questions regarding the sport are welcome to attend.

Triathlon was approved as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in 2014, and has a 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability as a NCAA sport option. Triathlon is a fall sport in the NCAA schedule, with the Women’s Collegiate National Championships generally set for early November.

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

Current Varsity Collegiate Triathlon Programs (as of March 12, 2019)

NCAA Division I
Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.)
East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, Tenn.)
Hampton University (Hampton, Va.)
University of San Francisco (San Francisco. Calif.)
University of South Dakota (Vermillion, S.D.)
Wagner College (Staten Island, N.Y.)

NCAA Division II
American International College (Springfield, Mass.)
Belmont Abbey College (Belmont, N.C.)
Black Hills State University (Spearfish, S.D.)
Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, Colo.)
Daemen College (Amherst, N.Y.)
Davis & Elkins College (Elkins, W.V.)
Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)
King University (Bristol, Tenn.)
Montana State University Billings (Billings, Mont.)
Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.)
St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.)
Southern Wesleyan University (Central, S.C.)

NCAA Division III
Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon, Wis.)
��ݮ���� (Harrisonburg, Va.)
Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.)
Milwaukee School of Engineering (Milwaukee, Wis.)
North Central College (Naperville, Ill.)
Northern Vermont University-Johnson (Johnson, Vt.)
Transylvania University (Lexington, Ky.)
Trine University (Angola, Ind.)
Willamette University (Salem, Ore.)

Based in the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood, WCSC hosts students each semester and over the summer from EMU and other partner institutions. It’s been a valued program since the 1970s.

The event was an opportunity for President Susan Schultz Huxman, in her ninth month in office, to meet program faculty and staff and hear from alumni about its impact. Undergraduate Dean Deirdre Smeltzer, as well as five faculty members, also made the trip.

The day included a presentation by WCSC director , visits to internship sites, a Nelson Good house tour and a meet-and-greet evening with university and program alumni. ��

Living and working in D.C.

Lunch at an Ethiopian restaurant on the H Street Corridor ended with a quick history lesson from Schmidt, offering a peek into the urban seminar courses that students take at WCSC. Schmidt described the stretch of businesses now gentrifying nearly five decades after riots decimated the African-American commercial hub. ��

The group then made visits to two intern sites. In a plaza near the Capitol, social work major Peter Dutcher described his 5:45 a.m. runs with , an organization that supports those experiencing homelessness through an innovative running program. EMU visitors formed a circle reminiscent of the program’s routine morning member circle while Dutcher and his supervisor described the organization’s impacts and the broader world experiences that such internships offer.

At the historic E, Bluffton student Anna Cammarn has been applying her majors in both music and psychology in a unique music therapy role serving students with behavioral needs.

“From the time I was a freshman in college, I didn’t know if I wanted to be a music therapist or a clinical psychologist,” Cammarn told the group. “Interning at this institution has made me realize that even though I am not a music therapy major, this profession is something I can do with my life.”

Program alums continue their support

After a meet-and-greet with local alumni, the group moved to the Nelson Good House for hors d’oeuvres and continued conversation.

Phil Baker-Shenk was a participant in 1976-77 to Washington Study Service Year, a year-long program that was the precursor to today’s WCSC.

“I haven’t stopped dreaming big out-sized dreams about building and nurturing institutions,” he said. “Without WSSY, this path and these dreams would not have been possible for me. WSSY and its younger sibling WCSC is surely one of the gems in the Mennonite crown. […] Let’s all guard this crown jewel.” ��

Recent alum Kiersten Rossetto Nassar shared how visiting the Nelson Good House during her college search process impacted her decision to attend EMU. She spent a semester in the program, which eventually led her to make her home nearby in the city. ��

Alums and supporters also heard updates from Associate Director of Development about the growth of the new WCSC and the potential to start awarding program scholarships to break down cost of living barriers to students with financial need. ��

Because the racks are empty and the compliments for this special 12-page issue abound, we’re making it available here for eager readers far and near.

“I am thrilled that so many people on campus have appreciated the ‘Year in Review,’” said Harrison Horst, who co-edited the Weather Vane this past year and led a team of editors and photographers in creating this issue.

The issue was commissioned by the Student Government Association (SGA) as one way of replacing the Shen yearbook, which published its final edition in 2016.

“The hope was that the Year in Review issue would preserve a lot of the things people liked about yearbooks while also adjusting its content to fit the current needs of students,” Horst said. “Among other things, it was clear that yearbooks were most highly treasured by seniors, so we tried cater this Year in Review issue more to the graduating class by including senior reflections, letters to the class from advisors and administration, and a two-page ‘On the Sidewalk’ type photo feature of seniors and their time here.”

Senior reflections are offered by SGA co-president Elisabeth Wilder, Tyler Denlinger, Robert Propst, Grantley Showalter, Mario Valladares, Lorraine Armstrong, Mariah Martin and Diego Barahona.

Well-wishes are offered by President and Vice President of Student Life and Enrollment , as well as class advisers Professor and Professor .

Club activity summaries are offered by Oksana Kittrell, Black Student Union co-president; Mario Hernandez, Latino Student Alliance co-president; Lydia Haggard, leadership; Clara Weybright, leadership; and Matt Holden, president of Royals Lifting Club [weightlifting].

Horst was joined by co-editors Zachary Headings, Justine Nolt, Robert Propst and Allie Sawyer. Photographers were Ariel Barbosa, Aaron Dunmore, Harrison Horst, Sarah Longenecker, Caleb Townsend and Adila Wahdat.

The theme this year was the question, “Why do I continue to ‘choose’ Jesus?”

The late February event features nightly faculty/staff sharing and conversation in residence halls, special gatherings for women and men, chapel events, retreats, and the much-loved tradition of meeting in the homes of faculty and staff for a meal and fellowship.

More than 100 students signed up for dinners hosted by 20 faculty and staff. “We have been trying to do this every semester,” said , undergraduate campus pastor and event coordinator, “but this semester, it was really successful.”

Speakers at the informal nightly discussions included , professor of English, and , professor of visual arts; head baseball coach and assistant coach Adam Posey; physical education professors and ; undergraduate dean and , office coordinator for the Applied Social Sciences Department.

Professors and led a women’s gathering, while Wes Wilder, a ministry intern, hosted the men’s luncheon.

spoke in chapel about her years-long journey with glaucoma, a reflection titled “,” which was widely read and shared after posting to EMU News and Facebook accounts. Schrock-Hurst teaches youth ministry, spiritual formation, and introduction to Bible courses in the department, in addition to overseeing the .

‘All their stories are sacred’

“I really enjoyed hearing the stories from the faculty and staff and their perspectives on following Jesus,” said Christina Hershey, a pastoral assistant for campus ministries. “It was interesting to go to multiple forums because everyone had very different stories, but all their stories are sacred, and it shows the diversity in the church.”

She added, “I really like the opportunity to hear the stories from the faculty and staff and to learn from their vast wealth of knowledge. Many of them do not get the chance to share about their faith in their classroom or other work contexts, and I enjoy hearing their perspectives on faith. I also attended both chapels and the faculty and staff meals.”

“I admired Adam and Ben’s willingness to open up and discuss their personal faith journeys,” said senior , who helped to host an evening forum and the women’s meal, which attracted about 50 participants to the West Dining Room. “Carl and Carolyn addressed the question, ‘What is the difference between living like Jesus and living in relationship with Jesus?’ [They] brought about a conversation that can be controversial and layered it in the love and grace of Jesus as they related it to attachment theory. They shared personal reflection laced with academic theory and profound passion for relationship with Jesus.”

Care ‘extends beyond the classroom’

, chair of the Department, opened Saturday evening’s meal with a smile and a Punjabi song to bless the spread of Pakistani dishes before him. He and his wife, Deb, provided curried foods including lentils, chicken, potato with cauliflower, and mustard greens. In addition, they served roti, a flour-based flatbread, achaar, mixed, pickled vegetables, and raita, a tart yogurt condiment with mint and cumin to cool down the spicy Thai dragon peppers.

The dinner was typical of what he and his wife often prepare for special guests. Since a great number of EMU students study abroad, Medley thought that the ethnic food would be very much appreciated.

“It’s a matter of identity,” Medley says. After living in Pakistan for 11 years, their lifestyle has become heavily influenced by the food and way of living. The influence of Pakistani culture is evident not only in the dishes served, but also in the artwork and ornaments that adorn their home.

In the past, Spiritual Life Week has often involved bringing a well-known speaker to campus. Now those resources are focused on facilitating conversation and relationships between students and their faculty and staff counterparts.

“This is what is means for faculty and staff to enter into conversation with students, and to talk about life and faith,” said Miller.

First year Grace Burkhart feels that “these meals highlight the fact that faculty care about students in a way that extends beyond the classroom.”

“We want to ask: How are faculty and staff making themselves available to students out of class?” said Miller. “As a community we can sometimes speak better into people’s lives than a big name speaker would. So now, when you see someone across campus, there is a chance you actually know something about them, but a speaker, you probably will only see once.”

Initially, when Medley received the invitation to host students as well as the indication that students wish to interact with the faculty more, he felt that it was important to open his home. He finds that encouraging community feeling on EMU’s campus is an important part of Spiritual Life Week. In the past, the Medleys have invited students and other faculty members in his classes and within the department for dinners and occasional seasonal events. However, Spiritual Life Week has made it easier to do so because of its efficient organization.

“I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know some people I had seen on campus before but never had the opportunity to get to know,” said junior Maddie Gish. “It is amazing how much we can learn from everyone around us. I am so glad I participated!”

Portions of this coverage were reprinted with permission from the March 3, 2016, edition of the Weather Vane.

But more likely, you know and remember…

Built as a gift by the classes of 1946 and 1950, Park Woods Cabin was the central hub of socialization and recreation on ��ݮ����’s campus for more than 40 years. But over time, as recreation options diversified and Harrisonburg itself expanded, the cabin fell into disrepair, and eventually disuse.

In 2013, students hoping to preserve the cabin and use it again for recreational activities headed up a revitalization effort, including hiring a contractor to pull up asbestos floor tiles, installing a wood stove and fixing the leaky roof. In early fall 2015, the cabin was once more full with students fulfilling the cabin’s original intention: fellowship and socialization around good Mennonite food.

1950: Socials and meetings

In the late 1940s, before the cabin was built, “there wasn’t much doing in Harrisonburg for students,” said Laban Peachey ’52 who later served as dean of students. “The cabin was a very important place for social events.”

Around campus (EMC wasn’t actually in Harrisonburg in the ‘40s) there was little but cornfields and dirt roads. Most students didn’t have cars and even if they did, there wasn’t anywhere to go.

D. Lowell Nissley was senior class president in 1950. He and Jacob A. Shenk drew up the plans for the cabin, which included a native limestone fireplace built by a Harrisonburg local. “We [both the college and high school graduating classes] wanted to do something significant for the school,” he said. “The whole class worked on it on Saturdays when we had a chance.” The class named the finished structure Oakwood. Several years later, the college asked if they could use the name for a new men’s dorm and the cabin became simply “the cabin” and then Park Woods Cabin.

Laban Peachey was a freshman in 1949 and one of the first classes to actually use the cabin.

“In those days there were only about 250 students at EMC,” he said. “Groups of 10, 20, 30 people would use the cabin for class meetings and college socials. We would have marshmallows and hot dogs too – not very often, but sometimes.”

1960s: ‘The Bard’s Nest’

In 1966, the cabin began to be used as EMC’s first coffeehouse. The students, perhaps as a reflection of the folksy vibes of the ‘60s, named it “The Bard’s Nest.” Twenty years later, when (now) EMU English professor was a student, the cabin was still used for that purpose.

“We would have open mic sessions, read music and host musical performances,” he said. “It was kind of like what Common Grounds is today, but cooler.”

Gusler likened the Bard’s Nest to a “dive bar” with regulars to whom they served birch beer or homemade hot chocolate. In the early ‘90s, the Nest added an espresso maker. Tables were lit with candles stuck in empty bottles and old burlap sacks served as backdrop to student artwork on the walls.

But by the time Gusler was on the scene, the building already had problems. There was no sewage or drainage tank on site and so no bathrooms. When it rained, the building sometimes flooded. The fireplace took more heat than it put out.

2000: the shift to University Commons

By August of 2000, the first phase of the University Commons was finished and Park Woods Cabin temporarily closed.

“University Commons shifted the focus of the university,” said , director of the physical plant. “The Snack Shop was built with a stage in the corner intended to replace the Bard’s Nest, but it was never really used.”

In part that’s because shortly after, in December of 2001, EMU received a grant from the Lilly Foundation to build what is now the coffeehouse known as . “When Common Grounds came around, that met the need the Bard’s Nest had been meeting,” said Kurtz.

It also made the facilities issues down at Park Woods Cabin a little more glaring. But other projects, namely building new residence halls, took priority over the cabin and it was left empty for over a decade.

2013: New life

In February of 2013, EMU News published a plea: “We need your help in deciding the next step for Park Woods Cabin. There is student interest in improving the condition of the cabin, which is currently not in use.”

A carpenter’s guild, made up primarily of EMU alumni, stepped in and helped refurbish the cabin free of charge. The physical plant provided most of the materials; the students fundraised for the rest.

The cabin now boasts new flooring, a weatherproof roof, a woodstove instead of the fireplace and a clean chimney. A plaque in the wood paneling above the stove commemorates the cabin as a gift of the classes of 1946 and 1950. There is no longer running water (it was too difficult to maintain) and no plans to install pipes or a sewer system.

But on any given weekend, light can be seen spilling from the windows, once more giving the old building a feeling of new life. The most recent use: the hosted a jam session over Homecoming weekend.

Editor’s Note: Some alumni have reported that the original “Bard’s Nest” was located in a building called the Guild, and that the coffeehouse didn’t move down into Park Woods Cabin until the mid-1970’s. Please feel free to comment on this. We’re eager to learn more. –10/15/2015

Sizemore will read from his work Thursday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m. in Common Grounds Coffeehouse on the ��ݮ���� campus.

Sizemore himself was raised in the home of a fundamentalist Baptist preacher, where the King James Bible was he says in one interview. He graduated from Liberty Baptist Theological School, and earned an MFA��from Seattle Pacific University in 2009. He teaches at Central Virginia Community College.

His short fiction has been published or is forthcoming in StoryQuarterly, Southern Humanities Review, Connecticut Review, Blue Mesa Review, ���dz�’w����ٱ��, and elsewhere.�� Excerpts from his novel The Calling are published or forthcoming in Connecticut Review, Portland Review, Prick of the Spindle, Burrow Press Review, Relief, Rock & Sling, and Pithead Chapel.

Sizemore brings to his writing a “sharp sense of observation, of being able to see right into something to make it close,” says assistant professor of English Chad Gusler, who got to know Sizemore when both were at a summer MFA residency in New Mexico. “His characters are thrust into action immediately, and the places where his characters live out their lives are palpable and real. There’s a persistent pulse in his stories, a sneaky beat that sinks into a reader’s subconscious lingers there for quite some time.”

Sizemore’s fiction has won the New Millennium Writings Award. In recognition of the edginess of his writing and its appeal to today’s youth, Sizemore’s work was nominated to “Best American Nonrequired Reading,” an annual anthology of fiction and nonfiction works selected by a panel of high school readers.

His work has also been nominated for the prestigious .��Nominations are��limited to six entries per year from little magazine and small press editors, or from contributing editors to Pushcart Press, according to the prize’s website.

Sizemore has been a frequent contributor to on the evangelical channel of Patheos.com, where he has blogged about a myriad of topics, as related to Christian faith: food deserts, the World Cup, the movie “Noah,” the Ken Ham-Bill Nye debate at nearby Liberty University, and parenting three children.