This was the second time that Reed, director of alumni engagement and community connections at EMU, has hosted the event. Named among the and a member of the , she conceived the idea last year to celebrate March as °Â´Çłžąđ˛Ô’s History Month and highlight the trailblazing women leaders guiding the campus forward.

This year’s event celebrated °Â´Çłžąđ˛Ô’s History Month and explored the “queer-affirming, gender-expansive world of nature around us,” Reed said. It featured a conversation and Q&A with PÄąnar Ateş Sinopoulos-Lloyd, a visionary artist, wildlife tracker, and Indigenous eco-philosopher whose work “lives at the intersection of sustainability, science, and deep connections to the natural world.”

Sinopoulos-Lloyd (they/them) shared their personal journey, moving from Turkey to the Bay Area of California at age eight. As a neurodivergent child, they spent a year of near silence carefully observing squirrels, pigeons, and other urban wildlife, noticing how these animals adapted to a city not designed for them. “That began and initiated my journey in wildlife observation, wildlife tracking, and pattern recognition as a tracker,” Sinopoulos-Lloyd said.

“I noticed they didn’t speak much and were highly observant,” they said. “I could relate to them and feel unmasked with them so easily.”

The wildlife tracker also spoke about community care. While trailing deer in the Scablands of eastern Washington about three years ago, Sinopoulos-Lloyd came across the leg bone of a beaver at the site of an ancient lake. On closer inspection, they saw that the bone had been broken but had healed. “That meant this being had survived,” they said.

“The reason I was so amazed was that this was a major fracture,” Sinopoulos-Lloyd said. “I don’t know how it happened, but it’s a sign of care. They must have been cared for and fed to recover and heal. As someone who’s disabled and chronically ill, seeing that sign of community care in the natural world touched me in such a profound way.”

PÄąnar Ateş Sinopoulos-Lloyd (left) shares their experiences with Mayor Deanna Reed. Mukarabe (right), a conflict transformation student at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, performs djembe to close out Friday’s show.

Mornings with the Mayor also included a viewing of the trailer for Bloom, a documentary by filmmaker and Visual and Communication Arts professor Elizabeth Miller-Derstine. The follows four birth workers making reproductive care safer and more accessible in their community. A screening of the film will be held at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 13, in Suter Science Center 106.

The event concluded with a djembe musical performance by Mukarabe, a conflict transformation student at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. She shared her life story, from escaping the genocide in Burundi and coming to the United States to enrolling at EMU. “Now I’m here for my third master’s degree,” she told the crowd. “Not just for the paper. I’m studying conflict transformation because where I come from, it is needed.”

Those attending Mornings with the Mayor were treated to a complimentary drink, the Sunrise Refresher (a dragonfruit, mango, and raspberry lemonade), crafted by the talented baristas at Common Grounds Coffeehouse.

Sinopoulos-Lloyd, one of the seven professionals featured on the Inclusivity in Science Mural inside Suter Science Center, spent the full day on campus. They joined students, faculty, and staff for a lunchtime discussion, then gave a talk and signed their portrait during the mural’s dedication ceremony later that afternoon.

EMU hosted its ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Monday, Jan. 19, featuring a series of events honoring the life and legacy of the late civil rights leader.

The theme of this year’s celebration was “Beyond the Dream: Social Justice and Ecological Consciousness,” and it focused on the message of Dr. King’s 1967 Christmas sermon, in which he preached about all life on Earth being interconnected. “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly,” he said.

Monday’s events began at 9:45 a.m. with a unity march inside the University Commons. About two dozen students, faculty, and staff members held signs calling for peace and justice as they completed three laps around the indoor track. Each year, the unity march pays tribute to the many nonviolent marches led by Dr. King and others during the civil rights movement. 

The group of marchers proceeded to Lehman Auditorium, where members of the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and other students shared quotes from Dr. King and reflected on his legacy during Speak Out. One quote that resonated deeply was: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Celeste Thomas, director of Multicultural Student Services at EMU and chair of the committee planning the MLK Jr. celebration, said Dr. King imagined a world with community instead of chaos, love instead of hate, and no one going hungry. He imagined a world where families are not separated, where there are no food deserts and everyone has clean water, and where countries don’t bully one another for resources, she added. “Beloved community is sustainability for all mankind,” she said.

Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, director of alumni engagement and community connections at EMU, spoke about the theme of the day. “Going beyond the dream means understanding justice is not passive,” she said. “It requires participation, it requires responsibility, and that’s where you come in, EMU students. You’re not on the sidelines of this work. You are already shaping the future of communities like Harrisonburg through the choices you make, the careers you pursue, the voices you raise, and the values you carry forward. Don’t just remember him, carry his dream forward.”

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus spoke about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old who was arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, nine months before Rosa Parks did the same. Dycus, who noted that Colvin passed away on Jan. 13, 2026, said the young activist had inspired her for many years. “Both King and Colvin teach us what justice and power look like in necessary ways,” Dycus said. “We gather not out of tradition, not because the calendar tells us to, but because we are committed to taking seriously the work of building equitable, compassionate, and just communities. This is who we are, not just what we do.”

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, an associate professor of philosophy at Georgetown University and a fellow at the Climate and Community Institute, served as the featured speaker for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Convocation. He is the author of Elite Capture and Reconsidering Reparations, a contributor to Greta Thunberg’s The Climate Book, and a past recipient of a Marguerite Casey Freedom Scholar fellowship. His presentation was titled “Becoming Firefighters: Climate Justice and the Fight for a Free World.”

He examined recent actions taken by the federal administration to seize oil assets in Venezuela and spoke about the political and economic power of fossil fuel companies. “The control those people and their allies have over our entire lives depends on the political power they wield and defend with the money they get destroying our air and water,” he said. 

Following the convocation, a ceremony on Thomas Plaza rededicated the EMU Peace Pole with a vision for peace, justice, and shalom on Earth, including all living things (represented by a new plaque featuring animal prints). The Peace Pole was recently resealed and painted and has newly installed “May Peace Prevail on Earth” plaques. 

Throughout the day, the conference room inside the Student Life Suite transformed into an aromatherapy space, filled with the scents of soap and essential oils. Simone McKelvey, owner of the Simone & Tuesday skincare brand, led two interactive demonstrations, teaching students, faculty, and staff how to create their own soap from scratch using natural ingredients. “Your skin is your largest organ,” she said, “and a lot of the time, we don’t pay attention to what we put on it.”

Participants worked in pairs at eight slow cookers, melting coconut, sunflower, and castor oils, adding lye to distilled water, and mixing the concoction with a stick blender and essential oils to create bars of soap. “When you go to the store and visit the soap aisle, some of them are soap, but some of them aren’t,” McKelvey said. “Some are detergents made with synthetic chemicals. True soap is what you’re making today.”

The sound of knives chopping onions, horseradish, garlic, hot peppers, ginger, and other vegetables reverberated through the Old Common Grounds space on Monday as participants in two interactive workshops sliced and diced fresh, locally sourced, organic ingredients to create their own jars of fire cider. The apple cider vinegar-based tonic supports immunity and digestion and is packed with  antioxidants, antibacterials, and antimicrobials, making it an ideal remedy for the colder months. In about four weeks, the jars can be strained and used to enhance everything from seltzer water and salad dressing to collard greens, pickles, and hot toddies.

The demonstrations were led by the sister-owners of Kinfolk Farm, a Black women-led farm in rural West Virginia dedicated to nourishing the brilliance, creativity, and legacy of Black and Indigenous people of the Global Majority.

Scroll through a photo album of the day below!

Thanks to Multicultural Student Services, Student Life, and the office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for planning the series of meaningful and educational events to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Scroll down to the end for an embedded video of the convocation.

Plus, watch the video below

“This event is about lifting one another up,” said Tyler Goss, director for student engagement and leadership development. “Coaches, faculty, staff, and fellow students all took the time to nominate these students for these awards.”

Kyle Remnant, adjunct director of the EMU Wind Ensemble, emceed the program. He announced each student’s name, noted who had nominated them, and shared the reason they were selected for each award. Recipients received a $2 Common Grounds Coffeehouse gift card.

And now, the awards…

Academic Champions

This award is for people who excelled academically or contributed significantly to the academic success of others.

Recipients: Leah Palmieri, Thalia Salinas, Ezekiel Awkward, LaToya Fernandez, and Sophia Armato.

Amazing Leadership

This award is for those who provided significant leadership across campus.

Recipients: Alex Belisle, James Powell, Jacob Sankara, Kaylin Ozuna, Marie Spaulding, Arelys Martinez Fabian, and Leah Frankenfield.

Enthusiastic Encouragers

This award is for those who encouraged and supported others in meaningful ways. “I know this isn’t a complete list because I see examples of it all across campus,” Remnant said. “We have so many, and it’s awesome.”

Recipients: Shavia Davis, Alberto Weaver, Lauren Kauffman, Daeman Odom, JosĂŠ Gabriel MelĂŠndez, Hannah Gilman, Kristen Andersen, Esme Martin King, Kiyah Mata, Rosa Martin Fonseca, Leah Frankenfield, and Lawson Kauffman.

Movers and Shakers

This award is for those who helped to shift campus culture for the better.

Recipients: Fiker “Fifi” Yigzaw, the EMU Outdoor club, the EMU Soccer Club, Malia Bauman, and Leah Beachy. 

Create-Your-Own awards

“There are many things happening on campus that don’t fit into any box we’ve already created,” Remnant said. “So coaches, teachers, and friends made their own awards to better reflect the kind of awesomeness some of our students show.”

Daisy Buller received the I’m Going to Make Myself an Athlete Even if it Kills Me Award in recognition of her commitment to “do everything possible” as a triathlete to make the 2025 NCAA National Championships. “Ten thousand yards of swimming each week, too many 50- to 100-mile bike rides, too much running, and lots of strength sessions led to Daisy placing 12th at East Regionals and leading EMU to a sixth place finish at Nationals,” Coach Bob Hepler wrote in his nomination.

Logan Boyd received the Most Valuable Non-SGA Senator Senator Award. “Logan has been an amazing presence in SGA meetings,” wrote an anonymous nominator. “Logan did not run for student government this semester, but has shown up to numerous meetings and provided helpful insight and been a fun presence in meetings.”

Renae Benner and Isaac Greenleaf received the Planetarium Professionals Award from an anonymous nominator. “Renae and Isaac have been working for weeks to keep improving the planetarium in the Suter Science Center, which is not an easy project, and they are killing it,” that person wrote.

Engage Awards

“The moment we’ve all been waiting for all semester long: the EMU Engage Awards,” Goss announced. These awards, presented as emu-shaped trophies, were given to the three students who earned the most Engage Points this semester.

Third place (bronze emu) with 41 points: Arleigh Mason
Second place (silver emu) with 44 points: Mara Zimmerman
First place (gold emu) with 46 points: Lisa Zimmerman

For a recording of the ceremony, watch the video embedded below:

Bailey Anne Vincent, a professional dancer with atypical cystic fibrosis, will present a choreographed dance performance during a convocation on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 10:15 a.m. in the MainStage Theater. The performance will be followed by a Q&A session.

This marks EMU’s first keynote event for Disability Awareness Month, which is observed throughout the month of October.

An online bio describes Vincent below:
Bailey is a scar positive, signing, Deaf storyteller and professional dancer, who believes etiquette, work ethic and role modeling matter as much to a role as just inhabiting a part. As a disabled choreographer, director, music supervisor, and actor, she has spent the last 8 years running a company called Company Dance Theatre on the east coast: the first body neutral, large scale company in the US. But she’s also been a journalist, columnist and novelist for almost three decades, in addition to the trials and tribulations of motherhood. As a formally misdiagnosed mutant, she hopes to raise awareness of atypical Cystic Fibrosis and help anyone who isn’t genetically in the black or white feel less alone.Ěý

For more on her activism or art, visit .

This convocation is sponsored by EMU’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

There’s a new morning talk show host in town, and she’s here to celebrate.

As a special Mornings with the Mayor edition of Convocation on Wednesday, Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, director of alumni engagement and community connections at EMU, stepped into the role of host as she interviewed several trailblazing women leaders making their mark on campus. The one-of-a-kind program, held at the Student Union, celebrated °Â´Çłžąđ˛Ô’s History Month and paid tribute to departing EMU President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman.

Reed steered the show with her trademark candor and panache, holding court over the “live studio audience”—one student could be seen regularly holding up an “Applause” sign—while she posed fascinating questions to EMU students, staff, and alumnae. “It’s the show where we bring you big energy, great conversations, and way too much coffee,” quipped Reed.

The first guests to grace the stage were a pair of EMU students, Arelys Martinez Fabian and Meredith Lehman, and a recent alumna, Ray Ray Taylor MS ’24. Fabian, co-president of Student Government Association, highlighted the increased representation of women in campus leadership roles. Taylor, a lab instructor who was a track and field team, called for erasing negative stereotypes and for supporting women in sports. When asked about which woman in history she would share a meal with, Lehman, a Rhodes Scholar studying at Washington Community Scholars’ Center, answered that she had recently heard about Zheng Yi Sao, a pirate leader active in the South China Sea from 1801 to 1810. “She was one of the most successful pirates in a time where you don’t really hear about female pirates,” Lehman said. “I would ask her where she pulls from to gain confidence and belief in herself”

Another panel discussion featured three powerhouse administrative leaders who are “changing the game in education and beyond”: Carrie Bert, Dr. Shannon Dycus, and Dr. Tynisha Willingham. Asked to provide her younger self advice, Bert, EMU athletic director, said she would’ve told her to pause and breathe to appreciate the moment. Dycus, vice president for Student Affairs, Equity and Belonging, shared some tough conversations she had when starting in her role about fighting hard to be heard. Willingham spoke about unique challenges she’s faced as a woman provost. “I think we often still see that even when women are in leadership roles, they are expected to be nurturing and can’t be as direct,” she said.

Clad in her signature royal blue pantsuit, Huxman, the featured headliner for Reed’s morning show, bounded down the aisle and shined in the spotlight. Huxman is EMU’s ninth president, the first woman to lead in the role, and is retiring this summer after nine years of service. She joked about some unexpected lessons learned over those years. “I started with a closet that had five blue outfits,” she said. “It’s half my closet now, skirts and outfits like this, and even shoes.”

She also spoke about forming closer connections between the university and city, colloquially known as the “town and gown relationship,” during her time at EMU. Early on, she said, she had visited with elected officials, educators and business leaders who told her they had never stepped foot on EMU’s campus. “I tried to work, especially in that first year, to get folks to campus,” she said. “I brought the delegates and our elected representatives up to my office. And, again, they said, ‘Well, I’ve been an elected representative for 12, 15 years, and I’ve never been in the president’s office.’”

At a time when many colleges across the nation are shuttering their DEI programs, EMU is doubling down on its commitment to the initiatives that bolster diversity, equity and inclusion and make all students on campus feel welcome. Huxman spoke about initiatives she’s witnessed over her two terms, including the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration started by Celeste Thomas during her second year as president, the Black Lives Matter mural—the only city in Virginia with a BLM street mural, Reed said—the establishment of the Office of DEI, the start of the Lavender Graduation, and the institutional statement on land acknowledgement. “It is EMU’s time to lean into DEI,” Huxman said. “It’s wrapped into our mission, it’s wrapped into our vision and values, it’s wrapped into the Sermon on the Mount. And this is who we are as a faith-based institution.”

Asked about which woman she would share a meal with, Huxman answered Ida B. Wells, a journalist and co-founder of the NAACP. “Every time I reread her biography, I just think, how did somebody walk the earth of this magnitude?” said Huxman, regaling the crowd with tales of Wells’ accomplishments. “…I always think that, in a very real sense, the graduates from our university at EMU are well-prepared to be peace and justice advocates like Ida B. Wells.”

A special treat honoring the president was free for those attending the event. Baristas at Common Grounds Coffeehouse whipped up mugs of the “Hux Deluxe,” a vanilla latte with a little cinnamon sugar on top. “I love that it’s a latte and it has cinnamon on it,” Huxman said. “Somebody knows I like that.” 

The interviews were interspersed with video segments documenting powerful EMU alumnae who are shaping the world. These included Khadija O. Ali MA ’01, who became the first female state minister of the Somalian government and serves as an ambassador for the country, and Najla El Mangoush MA ’15, who was the first female foreign minister of Libya. Another video showcased the legacy of the late Sadie Hartzler, EMU’s first full-time librarian whose name graces the library today.

Mukarabe, a student at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding who fled genocide in Burundi in 1993, read from a poem and led the crowd in a moment of silence for women persecuted around the world. She was joined by her husband Makinto, a student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, as they performed music to cap off the event. Together, they shared “Amahoro,” a Kirundi cultural expression conveying peace and God’s blessings, through song.

Braydon Hoover, vice president for enrollment, served as sidekick/announcer for “Mornings with the Mayor.”

What began as a book that aimed to celebrate the contributions of white allies in the fight for Black freedom, he said, morphed into a research project that questioned the effectiveness of those allies and their movements toward racial justice.

That book, Damned Whiteness: How White Christian Allies Failed the Black Freedom Movement, will publish in November by The University of North Carolina Press. Evans, who has worked on the book for the past seven years, introduced the book and shared some passages at Convocation on Wednesday in Lehman Auditorium.

Watch the full livestream of his talk .

Evans said work on his book began as a response to an invitation from scholars like Beverly Tatum, author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations about Race, to narrate the stories of white individuals and groups who have resisted racism.

“A number of books on abolitionists and a small number of texts on white allies have become available,” Evans said. “They told the stories of people like Mary White Ovington, a white socialist woman who helped W.E.B. Du Bois start the NAACP. They narrated biographies of people like Judge J. Waties Waring, who grew up in a segregationist household, but later in life became an advocate for racial justice.

“These stories of segregationists to anti-segregationists, from racist to anti-racist, from enemy of black folks to allies, are important stories, maybe even necessary stories. But what’s interesting about these texts that I mentioned is the things that they didn’t do.”

Damned Whiteness explores the work of “three of the most celebrated white Christian allies of the Black freedom era”: Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker Movement; Clarence Jordan, founder of Koinonia Farm; and Ralph Templin, who was an American missionary in India. Each of these allies either created or led movements that launched them into similar trajectories with Black freedom organizations that opposed racial segregation, Evans said.

“But because the visions of these movements were disconnected from the Black communities they aimed to help, they failed to meet them on their path to liberation,” he said.

Evans is the co-editor of Between the World of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Christianity (Cascade, 2018). His teaching and research focus on the braided identity categories of race, religion, and nation.

EMU’s students, faculty and staff, rooted in the value of active faith, practice compassion, mutual love, and appreciation for the diversity of religious and cultural expressions represented in their community.

EMU News often publishes event previews. Visit to view latest postings or to subscribe to the news digest to receive the Tuesday morning weekly update.

January

Jan. 16 — The Queer Student Alliance (QSA) and Office of Faith and Spiritual Life (FSL) host a screening of the award-winning documentary “1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture.” The “follows the story of tireless researchers who trace the origins of the anti-gay movement among Christians to a grave mistranslation of the Bible in 1946.” A talkback session follows the screening. 7 p.m., University Commons Room 177 (Old Common Grounds). 

Jan. 16 — Music Faculty Artist Series concert with the Ben Guerrero Quartet. This exciting, grooving and fun concert of funk fusion music features EMU music program faculty member and percussionist Ben Guerrero with Thaddeus Jackson on guitar, Brian Incheck on bass and Alex Watson on piano. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

Jan. 17 — Opening reception for artist , assistant professor of painting and drawing in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Mary Washington. 4-5 p.m., Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery.

Jan. 19-20 — EMU hosts its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration with a film screening of at 6 p.m. on Jan. 19 in the MainStage Theater, a unity march and Speak Out from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 20 at the Black Lives Matter mural outside University Commons and a convocation on “Radical Truth-telling” from Jodie Geddes MA ’16 at 10:15 a.m. in Lehman Auditorium. A presentation on “Harrisonburg in the Jim Crow era” from EMU History Professor Mark Sawin will be at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 in University Commons 176. View a full schedule of events here:

Jan. 21 — Sabbatical Spotlight: Laura A.G. Yoder, PhD, RN – professor of nursing at EMU. “Q’eqchi’  Mothers’ Health Needs and Strengths in the Greater Chichen Region of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.” Dr. Yoder will share about a community health needs and strengths assessment conducted in the Greater Chichen region of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, and ongoing work with the Community Cloud Forest Conservation to promote health and well-being for Q’eqchi’ women. 12:10 p.m., West Dining Room, Northlawn.

Jan. 21 — . Join the Shenandoah Valley Mennonite Historians for an evening of singing and storytelling representing lyrics and music from various local and regional Mennonite expressions through the years. 7 p.m., Park View Mennonite Church, 1600 College Ave, Harrisonburg.

Jan. 26 — Senior recital featuring Thaddeus Jackson. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

Jan. 27 — Concerto/Aria Competition. The two student-musicians who win this competition will earn coveted spots to perform with the EMU Orchestra during its spring Concerto/Aria Orchestra Concert on Saturday, April 25. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

Jan. 29 — Campus Worship: What is the Good Life? Dr. John D. Roth, project director of MennoMedia’s Anabaptism at 500 initiative, presents. 10:15 a.m., Martin Chapel.

Jan. 29 — 500th Anniversary Lecture: “They Went Out From Us, But They Were Not of Us.” Dr. John D. Roth’s talk focuses on the challenge of unity and schism across the 500 years of Anabaptist tradition. 7 p.m., Harrisonburg Mennonite Church, 1552 S. High St., Harrisonburg.

Jan. 30 — Anabaptism 1525/2025: Five Centuries, Five Lectures (1500s). As part of the , Dr. John D. Roth will present “Restoration or Renewal? Early Anabaptism and its Reformation Context” about Anabaptism in the 16th century. 7 p.m., Eastern Mennonite School Auditorium, 801 Parkwood Drive, Harrisonburg.

February

Feb. 6 — Anabaptism 1525/2025: (1600s). Dr. Mary Sprunger, professor of history at EMU, will present “Dutch Mennonites in the City and of the City” about Anabaptism in the 17th century. 7 p.m., Weavers Mennonite Church, 2501 Rawley Pike, Harrisonburg.

Feb. 10 — Screening of “El Cacao: The Challenge of Fair Trade.” This exposes the dark side of chocolate production in Latin America by examining the economics of fair trade from the point of view of indigenous farmers as they attempt to sustain their community through the growth, harvest, and trade of cacao beans in the global market. 6:30 p.m., Suter Science Center 106.

Feb. 13 — Anabaptism 1525/2025: (1700s). Elwood Yoder, historian and longtime Eastern Mennonite School teacher, will present “Farmers in Search of Land, Renewal, and Religious Freedom” about Anabaptism in the 18th century. 7 p.m., Weavers Mennonite Church, 2501 Rawley Pike, Harrisonburg.

Feb. 14 — Suter Science Seminar: Philip E. Zapanta, MD, FACS  – head and neck surgeon for Sovah Health – Danville, VA, and clinical associate professor of surgery at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “From Study Abroad to Scrubbed In: Life Lessons for Pre-Professional Health Science Students (and me).” Zapanta, a 1996 graduate of EMU, shares the importance of cross-cultural experiences, the application of “see one, do one, teach one” in professional growth, and the importance of incorporating values of service, humility, and lifelong learning into health care careers. 10:15 a.m., Suter Science Center 106.

Feb. 15 — High School Music Competition. The second annual competition, open to students in grades 9-12 and to all instruments, voice types and styles of music, returns to EMU. 9 a.m., Lehman Auditorium.

Feb. 20 — Anabaptism 1525/2025: (1800s). Caleb Schrock-Hurst, a member of the staff of the Virginia Mennonite Conference, presents “Migration, Modernization, and Mission” about Anabaptism in the 19th century. 7 p.m., Weavers Mennonite Church, 2501 Rawley Pike, Harrisonburg.

Feb. 21 — Opening reception for exhibition by longtime EMU Visual and Communication Arts (VACA) Professor Jerry Holsopple, who is retiring after this year. His exhibition will serve as a culmination showcasing the work he has made over the past couple decades, along with some new work. 4-5 p.m., Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery.

Feb. 21 — International Food Festival. The beloved annual event provides an opportunity for students, faculty and members of the surrounding community to share the great wonders of their respective cultures through food. 5:30 p.m., University Commons Hall of Nations.

Feb. 21 — Senior recital featuring vocalist Reah Clymer. 8 p.m., Martin Chapel.

Feb. 21-23 — Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship (ICPF) 2025 Conference. This student-led conference, which rotates among host institutions each year, brings together students and faculty from Mennonite, Brethren, and Quaker colleges across the U.S. and Canada to examine issues of peace and justice. The theme for the 2025 ICPF is “Building Solidarity: from Turtle Island to Palestine.” View a schedule of events here:

Feb. 27 — Anabaptism 1525/2025: (1900s). Dr. Andrew Suderman, associate professor in theology, peace and mission at EMU, presents “Anabaptism Today: Being Reminded of an Anabaptist Vision” about Anabaptism in the 20th century. 7 p.m., Martin Chapel. 

Feb. 27— Jazz Ensemble Concert. This performance is part of the Jazz, Justice, and Jordans event hosted by EMU’s Black Student Alliance. 7 p.m., University Commons Room 177 (Old Common Grounds).

Feb. 28 — Writers Read Author Series featuring Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch. Yoder’s debut novel, about an artist turned stay-at-home mom who becomes convinced she’s turning into a dog, was selected as an Indie Next Pick in August 2021 and was named a best book of the year by Esquire and Vulture. Yoder serves as assistant professor of screenwriting and cinema arts at the University of Iowa. A film adaptation of Nightbitch, starring Amy Adams, was released in December. 7:30 p.m., Martin Chapel.

March 

Spring Break for students is between Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 9. Classes resume on March 10.

March 1-6 — Chamber Singers spring break tour. The auditioned touring chamber choir performs at several locations around Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia before wrapping up its tour at The Music Room on Main in Orange, Virginia. View the tour schedule here:

March 13 — Music Student Spring Recital I. 12:10 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

March 13 — Keim Lecture Series. presents on her book Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia. 4:30 p.m., Suter Science Center 106.

March 14 — Suter Science Seminar: Susan Gaylord, PhD – research associate professor and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the University of North Carolina; and Hongtao Li, PhD – assistant professor of biology at EMU. “Why Integrative Health Care?” This seminar will introduce the concept of Integrative Medicine, and why it’s essential to health care today. 10:15 a.m., Suter Science Center 106.

March 14 — Love, Joy, and Peace: A Choral Celebration! 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

March 17 — Screening of “No Place to Grow.” This follows a group of Latinx farmers who find themselves representing a movement to save the last green space centered within a neighborhood facing gentrification in Santa Cruz, California. 6:30 p.m., Suter Science Center 106.

March 17 — Wind Ensemble Concert. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

March 18 — Sabbatical Spotlight: Kristopher Schmidt, PhD – professor of biology at EMU. “Deciphering Defences: Using Applied Genomics to Better Understand Innate Immunity in Caenorhabditis elegans.” Schmidt presents a case study showcasing how we have used genomic approaches to unravel the role of the cytoskeletal regulator unc-53/Nav2 in immunity. 12:10 p.m., West Dining Room, Northlawn.

March 20 — Writers Read Author Series featuring M.C. (Christine) Benner Dixon ’04, author of The Height of Land. Benner Dixon is a teacher, poet, editor, and novelist living in Pittsburgh who spent about 15 years in academia as a classroom teacher and scholar before launching her freelance editing and writing business. Her poetry and fiction has been described as tending toward “contemplative melancholy, with occasional detours into the strange and creepy.” Her debut novel The Height of Land “follows the quest of a young man in the distant future, torn between spiritual longing and commitment to his community’s survival in a harsh landscape (Goodreads)” and is scheduled to release in March 2025. 7:30 p.m., Martin Chapel. 

March 21 — President’s Town Hall. 10:05 a.m., Martin Chapel.

March 28-April 5 — EMU Theatre presents “On the Breath of God: The Life of Maria Skobtsova.” This world-premiere production created by EMU professors Jerry Holsopple and Justin Poole showcases the remarkable life of the Russian poet, saint and martyr Maria Skobtsova. This edgy, defiant, offbeat, twice-divorced, chain-smoking nun, who called Tolstoy and other intellectual giants her friends, broke many stereotypes. This is a musical featuring a chorus of female mystics who sing Celtic tunes to the accompaniment of a live band. 7 p.m. on March 28-29 and April 3-5, 2 p.m. on March 30. MainStage Theater.

April

April 2 — LovEMU Giving Day 2025. Show how much you love EMU with your generous support during the ninth annual . All day.

April 4 — Senior Show 1. Come see the final projects of the first group of senior VaCA students. 4-5 p.m., Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery.

April 5 — Sophomore recital featuring Rafael de Tablan. 3 p.m., Martin Chapel.

April 7 (rescheduled from Feb. 18) — Sabbatical Spotlight: Daniel Showalter, PhD – associate professor of mathematics at EMU. “Student Mental Health: What’s Going On, and Why Should We Care?” The professor will share what led him to focus on student mental health as well as his journey to better understand the network in place to support students in their well-being. 10:15 a.m., Suter Science Center Room 106.

April 11 — Wind Ensemble & University Choir Concert. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

April 12 — University Choir Concert. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

April 16-17 — Academic and Creative Excellence (ACE) Festival 2025. The campus-wide conference, which provides space to showcase academic and artistic achievements and engage in interdisciplinary conversation and learning, returns. David Williams, author of the 2024-25 EMU Common Read When the English Fall, serves as keynote speaker at 10:15 a.m. on April 16 in Lehman Auditorium. View a full schedule of ACE Festival events here:

April 17 — Senior Show 2 (during ACE Festival). Come see the final art projects of the second group of senior VaCA students. 4-5 p.m., Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery.

April 17 — Music Student Spring Recital II. 12:10 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

April 23 — Jazz Ensemble Concert. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

April 25 — Concerto/Aria Concert. 7 p.m., Lehman Auditorium.

April 26-27 — Spring Concerts featuring all performing choirs of the (SVCC). 7 p.m., April 26; 4 p.m., April 27. Lehman Auditorium.

May

The 107th University Commencement is from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, 2025. Commencement for the EMU Lancaster campus is Friday, May 9, 2025.

May 14-31 — Chamber Singers international tour. The choir sings at venues across Europe, including in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, before concluding their tour with performances celebrating the 500-year anniversary of the birth of Anabaptism at Mennonite World Conference. View the tour schedule here:

More information

Arts at EMU To learn more about music, theater, and visual and communication arts at EMU, visit www.emu.edu/arts.

Center for Interfaith Engagement The Center for Interfaith Engagement (CIE) at ˛ÝÝŽÉçÇř promotes collaboration among religious and nonreligious scholars and practitioners, provides education in our principles and practices, and creates a safe space for developing authentic relationships and mutual understanding both between and within communities. CIE partners with people and organizations for interfaith education and service to promote a more just and peaceful world.

 Each year, a variety of expert scientists visit EMU’s campus to share their insights. Refreshments provided.

University Chapel A community gathering place for worship and forum, chapel reflects an Anabaptist/Mennonite perspective alongside the gifts, traditions and cultures of the broader Christian faith. Faith, hope and love are nurtured in the way of Jesus. Faculty, staff, students, and community members are invited to gather every other Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. for campus worship in Martin Chapel. A student-led song, prayer and worship service is held most Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. in University Commons Room 177 (Old Common Grounds). Podcasts available.

Writers Read and Spanish Language Film Series events sponsored by the language and literature department. Writers Read features authors who read from and comment on their work; refreshments are provided. Spanish language films will have English subtitles; introductions and student-led discussions are in English.

“The student recognition convocation time is when we gather to celebrate,” said Jon Swartz, associate dean of students at EMU, opening the event.

Academics

Academic Success Center (ASC) – presented by Cathy Smeltzer Erb

Anna Filipkowski was selected as Peer Tutor of Distinction for her excellence in tutoring. “For two years, Anna has guided students through the mechanics of accounting and business with patience, humor, and candor,” Erb said. “You made the ASC a better place.”

Teacher Education – presented by Holly Rusher

Sarah Bascom: Virginia Scholars Award, which is awarded by the Delta Kappa Gamma Society to an “outstanding graduate with an excellent educator future.”

Maria Bettilyon, Shania Coleman, Alex Gulisano, Lyndsay Harris, Erin Keith and Lucy Unzicker: Teachers of Promise Award, given to promising and gifted preservice teachers who represent excellence in the classroom, exhibit a strong commitment to the profession and exemplify the characteristics of a reflective, caring practitioner.

Judith Hoffman, Kassidy Secrist, Madelyn Wood and Dawson Woodruff: Courage to Teach Award, given to students who demonstrate dedication and effectiveness in teaching, model value-based and highly principled behaviors, model reflection in thought and practice, demonstrate a genuine sense of caring for the students and model a passion for caring.

Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sustainability – presented by Laurie Yoder and Jim Yoder

The following students were recognized for academic excellence in their core courses:
Renae Benner: Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student; and
Maria Longenecker: Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student.

The following students were recognized for exceptional academic and scholarly accomplishments:
Laura Craft: Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student;
Abby Kaufman and Megan Miller: Outstanding Senior Biology Student; and
Anika Hurst: Outstanding Senior in Environmental Science.

Laura Craft: Biology/Chemistry/ENVS Award for Exceptional Service, awarded for exceptional servant leadership in the sciences.

Abigail Forrest, Elaine Miranda Perez, Sadie Oesch and Marciella Shallomita: Award for Excellence in Research, awarded for exceptional performance in undergraduate research in the sciences.

Business and Leadership – presented by Jim Leaman, Joohyun Lee, Johanna Burkholder and Lindy Backues

The following students were recognized for outstanding academic performance in their majors:
Ben Alderfer: Outstanding Business Analytics Student Award;
Rileyanne Collins: Outstanding Rec and Sport Management Student Award;
Mesa Dula: Outstanding Accounting Student Award;
Lizzy Kirkton: Outstanding Business Administration Student Award; and
Nathan Oostland: Outstanding Marketing Student Award.

Jansen Miller received the Outstanding Achievement Award for academic achievement in the Business and Leadership program. Anna Filipkowski received the Exceptional Service Award and Lizzy Kirkton received the Exceptional Leadership Award for their service and leadership in the program.

History – presented by Mary Sprunger

Aidan Yoder received the 2023-24 Outstanding Senior History Award. He was recognized for his research paper in Humanities Seminar, “Protest Now! EMU War Resistance and Response After Vietnam.”

“The personal became academic, and the academic became political, as Aidan worked on this paper alongside his leadership in recent protests, including the bell-ringing that successfully led EMU to call for a cease-fire in Gaza,” said Sprunger, presenting Yoder with “Martyrs Mirror,” a record of dissenters who challenged government-mandated religious conformity.

Language and Literature – presented by Kevin Seidel, Chad Gusler and M. Esther Showalter

Lydia Longacre: The Carroll Yoder Award for Teaching Excellence. The award is given to a student who has demonstrated academic excellence in literary studies and education courses and has shown a clear call to the teaching profession.
Hannah Landis: Omar Eby Writing Award, awarded to a student who demonstrates excellence in the craft of creative writing and provides insightful critique and support for other writers in creative workshops.
Maria Menjivar: Ervie L. Glick Award for Excellence in World Language Study, for exhibiting academic excellence as a Spanish major and showing a clear sense of call to pursue graduate work or use their language degree in service to the church.
Lucy Unzicker received the Ray Elvin Horst Award for Excellence in Spanish (for academic excellence in Spanish courses) and the James R. Bomberger Award for Excellence in TESOL (for outstanding performance in TESOL classes and practicums).

Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science – presented by Daniel Showalter and Daniel King

The following students were recognized for demonstrating academic excellence, service and contributions to the community and culture at EMU:
Noel Abeje and Hebron Mekuria: Outstanding Seniors in Computer Science Award;
Lane Burkholder: Outstanding Senior in Mathematics Award;
Joel Kornhaus: Outstanding Senior in Engineering Award; and
Jacob Hess: Special Recognition in Engineering Award.

Iris Anderson, Laura Benner and Renae Benner received the Turing level of achievement award for their second-place finish in the Kryptos Codebreaking Competition.

Music – presented by Benjamin Bergey and David Berry

Maggie Garber McClary: Pioneer Award for being the first-ever graduate of the Music and Peacebuilding major at EMU. Read more about her and the innovative program here.

Luke Haynes: Distinguished Performer, awarded for musical excellence as a performing artist. “Those of us who spent time here in Lehman Auditorium know that the room we have downstairs with an organ and piano in it that used to be called a practice room is a room we’ve referred to the last four years as Luke’s office,” Music Program Director David Berry joked as he presented Haynes with the award.

Judith Hoffman: Ensemble Leadership Award for providing dedicated musical leadership as concertmaster of the EMU Orchestra.

Social Sciences and Professions – presented by Jenni Holsinger, Dr. Gaurav Pathania and Dr. Carol Grace Hurst

Iris Anderson, Gracie Conner, Jesse Kanagy, Lauryn Moore and Lucas Sorensen were recognized as this year’s initiates in the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society, earned for their record of high academic achievement and contribution of social research for the purpose of service. They will wear light blue honor cords at Commencement on Sunday.

Brianna “Bri” Allen: NASW-VA BSW Student of the Year Award, which is given to a BSW student who demonstrates exemplary academic performance and leadership. Read more about her award here.

Campus Life

Awards presented by Brian Martin Burkholder, Mike Ramer and Tyler Goss

Office of Faith and Spiritual Life

Seniors Laurel Evans, Kate Landis and Julie Weaver were recognized for nurturing faith and spiritual life on campus through their work as student chaplains. They will wear light blue honors cords at Commencement.

Campus Activities Council (CAC)

Andrea Acevedo was awarded with the CAC Campus Hospitality Award, which is given to students who create spaces of belonging and connection for the student body.

“Andrea listens to her peers and works hard at creating and hosting events for them with CAC,” Mike Ramer said. “…Her CAC coworkers say that she is dependently calm when challenges arise and is so fun to be around.”

Common Grounds

Laura Benner, Valentina Barahona, Margarita Hernandez-Perez and Laura Craft received the Common Grounds Excellence in Leadership Award.

“This team is steeped in determination and a lot of love for their craft, and they’ve percolated a culture of excellence,” said Tyler Goss, midway through a string of coffee-related puns.

Engage Awards

Emu bird trophies given to students who earned the most Engage Points this semester.
First place: Samuel Myers (40 points)
Second place: Marciella Shallomita (37 points)
Third place: Malia Bauman (33 points)

Student Government Association (SGA)

Iris Anderson, Hannah Landes Beck, Ariel Morales Bonilla, Anne Cornelius, Betty Debebe, Genesis Figueroa, Evan Kauffman and Maria Longenecker received the SGA Outstanding Leadership Award.

Current SGA co-presidents Hannah Landes Beck and Iris Anderson ceremoniously handed off the gavel — after it slowly lowered from the ceiling of Lehman Auditorium — to incoming co-presidents Arelys Martinez Fabian and Genesis Figueroa.

Athletics (includes winter and spring seasons)

Athletic Department Awards – presented by Justin McIlwee

Freshman of the Year –ĚýAngel David:Ěý°Â´Çłžąđ˛Ô’sĚýTrack & Field andĚýJowell Gonzalez Santiago:ĚýMen’s Track & Field
Athlete of the Year –ĚýRay Ray Taylor:Ěý°Â´Çłžąđ˛Ô’sĚýTrack & Field andĚýBellamy Immanuel:ĚýMen’s Cross Country and Track & Field
President’s Award –ĚýMegan Miller:Ěý°Â´Çłžąđ˛Ô’s Volleyball andĚýAriel Morales Bonilla:ĚýMen’s Soccer

Men’s Basketball

Daijordan Brown â€“ Royals Athlete of the Week
Jazen Walker – Royals Athlete of the Week

°Â´Çłžąđ˛Ô’s Basketball

Kayla Surles â€“ Royals Athlete of the Week; Third Team All-ODAC
Mya Hamlet Moore â€“ Royals Athlete of the Week
Jeriyah Osborne – Royals Athlete of the Week

Indoor Track & Field

Bellamy Immanuel â€“ Royals Athlete of the Week; set school record in the 5000m
Jowell Gonzalez Santiago – Royals Athlete of the Week; set school record in the 500m; USTFCCCA All-South Region – 400m Dash
Damon Morgan – Royals Athlete of the Week
Angel David – Royals Athlete of the Week
Jenna Weaver – Royals Athlete of the Week
Lucy Unzicker – ODAC Farm Bureau Scholar Athlete of the Year
Men’s 4×400 Relay (Bryson Hunter, Da’Shawn Winters, Joseph Kerr, Gray Urglavitch) – Third-Team All-ODAC

Men’s Volleyball

David Ward â€“ Royals Athlete of the Week; CVC Player of the Week; Royals Tournament All-Tournament Team; eclipsed 500 career kills; Second-Team All-CVC
Ben Childers – Royals Athlete of the Week; eclipsed 150 career blocks
Nate McGhee â€“ Eclipsed 600 career kills; Royals Tournament All-Tournament Team
Tyler Oaks – Royals Tournament All-Tournament Team; eclipsed 1500 career assists
Rey De La Cruz – FrogJump.com DIII Team of the Week

Baseball

Aidan Miller – Royals Athlete of the Week
Jack Dooley – Royals Athlete of the Week
Ethan Spraker – Royals Athlete of the Week; eclipsed 150 career hits
Nick Arnold – Royals Athlete of the Week; eclipsed 100 career hits
Alex Gulisano – Royals Athlete of the Week
Damen Tapscott – Royals Athlete of the Week; ODAC Pitcher of the Week

Softball

Makayla Cyzick – Royals Athlete of the Week; ODAC Pitcher of the Week
Sydney Orndorff – Royals Athlete of the Week
Sam Hensley – Royals Athlete of the Week; eclipsed 100 career hits
Natalye Graham – Eclipsed 200 career strikeouts

Outdoor Track & Field

Ray Ray Taylor – Royals Athlete of the Week; ODAC Field Athlete of the Week
Lucy Unzicker – Royals Athlete of the Week
Bellamy Immanuel – Royals Athlete of the Week

Lacrosse 

Courtney Crawford – Royals Athlete of the Week

New York Times-bestselling author Douglas Abrams, who has worked with many of the most inspiring people on the planet — from Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama to Stephen Hawking and Jane Goodall — is the keynote speaker for EMU’s Academic & Creative Excellence (ACE) Festival.

Abrams will deliver a virtual address titled “Two Truths and Three Lies About Hope and Humanity” from 10:10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, in Lehman Auditorium. His address explores the importance of hope in our lives and how to cultivate it personally and collectively when we need it most. It invites audiences to see hope not as a passive or weak response, but as an act of resistance that challenges the status quo. Following his address, Abrams will remain available for a talkback session until 11:30 a.m.

The talk will draw on his work writing The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times (2021) with Goodall (EMU’s Common Read selection for 2023-2024) as well as his collaborations with leading spiritual teachers, activists and scientists. Together with the Dalai Lama and Tutu, Abrams co-wrote The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World (2016), which inspired the documentary .

Abrams lives in Santa Cruz, California. He is the founder of Idea Architects, a literary agency and media development company that helps visionaries create a wiser, healthier and more just world.

He worked with Tutu as his co-writer and editor for more than a decade. He was a senior editor at HarperCollins Publishers and served for nine years as the religion editor at the University of California Press.

About the ACE Festival

The ACE Festival invites keynote speakers to engage the community in conversations around values important to us at EMU. The speaker is typically selected with the themes of the year’s Common Read in mind. We invite engagement and response from diverse perspectives, and encourage continued conversation around these themes.

This event is co-sponsored by EMU Convocation and the Language and Literature Program. It will be livestreamed on Facebook Live from the .

African educator, human rights activist and philanthropist Dr. Dòwòti DÊsir, Queen Mother of the African Diaspora of Benin, will share her knowledge and experiences during a series of public gatherings at EMU next week.

DĂŠsir is an interfaith leader, scholar and expert on African diaspora heritage sites. As the former chair of the NGO Committee for the Elimination of Racism, Afrophobia and Colorism at the United Nations, she has worked with Dr. Gaurav J. Pathania, assistant professor of sociology and peacebuilding at EMU, on issues related to caste. DĂŠsir has spoken at Harvard Divinity School, Columbia University and New York University, and said she was “delighted and honored” to visit EMU.

“I end up speaking, in some ways, to the same audiences all the time,” she said. “This is a very different audience for me and I look forward to the conversation. I’m eager to learn about social justice from an EMU perspective.”

All events below are scheduled for Wednesday, March 27.

‘Compassion: The Intangible Asset’

Time: 10:10 a.m.
Location: University Commons Student Union
About: As the first Queen Mother of the African Diaspora on the African continent, DĂŠsir oversees welcoming home people whose ancestors were torn away due to slavery. Her main address for convocation will focus on social justice and the importance of compassion.

She is a former adviser and designated expert to the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on projects related to the global African community.

‘The African Diaspora: A Photographer’s Lens’

Time: 11:15 a.m.
Location: West Dining Room
About: The Queen Mother will lead a lunch discussion on using photography to tell the story of the African Diaspora and the impacts of slavery.

She has visited and documented more than 90 sites around the world that speak to the historic experiences of Africans and their descendants in the Diaspora.

‘Interfaith Dialogue with a Vodou High Priestess’

Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Northlawn East Dining Room
About: DĂŠsir is a Manbo Asogwe, a priestess in the West African faith tradition of Vodou. Learn about Vodou beliefs, practices, history and traditions during this talk, as she answers questions and clears up misconceptions.

According to Harvard University’s , Vodou — meaning “spirit” or “god” in the Fon and Ewe languages of West Africa — is a blending, or syncretism, of African religious traditions and Catholicism. It has come to be used as the name for the religious traditions of Haiti, which is where DĂŠsir was born.

Events are hosted by: EMU Engage; Center for Interfaith Engagement; Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and the Visual and Communication Arts (VaCA) Department.

, president of EMU, addressed this question in a convocation address Wednesday morning, Jan. 12, in Lehman Auditorium at the start of second semester.

“Every single one of us, no matter our roles in life, will only be sustained and energized if we know we are engaged in meaningful work to which we have been called. For those of faith, it is a vocation,” Dr. Swartzendruber told the assembly.

Three points to consider in life

The president expanded the vocational theme by offering counsel to the student body:

“One, don’t assume that your life will stretch 70-80 more years. While most of you will live long and productive lives, don’t take anything for granted.

“Two, do all you can to prepare yourself for a variety of careers -and EMU is exactly the right place to be for that purpose.

“Thirdly, whatever career you enter, remember that you are more than your career. Every ‘job’ can be fulfilling if you are meaningfully engaged as a person, if your talents and gifts are being fully utilized and if you are more than the role you fill.”

Swartzendruber shared comments he has received from persons that applaud qualities of EMU’s alumni that run deeper than impressive resumes.

“A school administrator told me that EMU graduates are almost always stronger teachers than they appear to be from initial interviews,” Swartzendruber said.

“Our graduates tend to present themselves with some humility. It’s quite common for many to begin their first employment, intending to simply do their jobs well, and quickly find themselves in leadership roles, even when they didn’t necessarily aspire to be.

“I was told of a grad hired by a large law firm in Portland, Ore,” he continued. “While there were several candidates for the partner-track position, the EMU graduate was selected largely because the partners interviewing him were intrigued that he had taken a cross-cultural semester.

“An effective college education includes experiences that challenge unexamined assumptions, sustain more complex understandings of oneself and others and enable students to form commitments in a relativistic world – which fits well with EMU’s mission of preparing servant leaders,” the president said.

Cross-cultural blessing

The convocation ended with a commissioning for student groups who will spend the spring semester on university-sponsored .

India

Twenty-four students and faculty leaders Dr. Kim G. Brenneman, professor of psychology, and her father, Kermit Brenneman were in India. The India group will travel and study the history, culture and many religions of the country, study psychology in a multi-cultural setting, learn fundamentals of the Hindi language, and work at Mother Teresa’s organization in Calcutta.

U.S./Mexico Border and Guatemala

Twenty students led by Deanna F. Durham, associate professor of applied sciences, and her spouse, Byron J. Peachey, associate campus pastor, will spend the semester in a study-travel seminar to the U.S./Mexico Border and Guatemala. They will deal firsthand with immigration issues across national borders, spend significant time with CASAS, a Spanish and cross-cultural study program in Guatemala, live with host families while studying Spanish and do service-learning assignments.

Syria and Israel/Palestine

Another 17 students who will spend the semester studying and traveling in Syria and Israel/Palestine will be commissioned at the close of university chapel Friday, Jan. 14. The group, led by Dr. Linford L. Stutzman, associate professor of culture and mission, and his wife Janet M. Stutzman, will explore Arab, Palestinian and Jewish history and cultures, do intensive Arabic language study, attend seminars and take field trips and trace the Christian movement in the Mediterranean region from the time of Jesus forward.

EMU’s second semester runs through Apr. 29.

The annual faculty-staff conference, to be held Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 19-20, focuses on the theme, “Promise and Possibility: Serving and Leading in a Global context.”

Keynote Speaker Robb Davis

Dr. Robb Davis, director of health initiatives at Freedom From Hunger, will address faculty and staff on Wednesday, Aug. 19

Robb Davis of Davis, Calif., will open the conference 9:30 a.m. Wednesday with an address on the program theme. Dr. Davis received a masters of public health as well as a doctorate from the School of Hygiene and Health at Johns Hopkins University and has considerable international experience.

He is director of health initiatives at Freedom From Hunger, an organization that combines microfinance, education and health protection to help poor women in Africa, Asia, and Latin America achieve a sustainable, self-help end to hunger. Davis has taught in EMU’s Summer Peacebuilding Institute a number of years.

An interactive session with Davis will follow at 11 a.m.Main sessions will be held in Martin Chapel of the seminary building.

EMU President Loren Swartzendruber will give a “state of the campus” address 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Other activities will include a music and storytelling session, faculty workshops on cross-cultural programs and intensive writing, a voluntary cholesterol screening and worship led by Kenneth J. Nafziger, professor of music.

Other back-to-school activities

The annual all-campus picnic will be held on the front lawn Wednesday evening, Aug. 19.

Students who will serve as community advisers or ministry assistants will begin arriving for training sessions Friday, Aug. 21.

First-year students will check into the residence halls Aug. 29. Orientation programs for new students run through Monday, Aug. 31.

Returning students will arrive on campus Sunday, Aug. 30. Final fall semester registration will be held Monday, Aug. 31.

Fall convocation, Sept. 2

President Loren Swartzendruber will speak at an opening convocation 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2 in Lehman Auditorium on the theme, “Educating to serve and lead in a global context.” Student cross-cultural groups going to South Africa and Lesotho for the fall semester will be commissioned.

EMU’s fall semester runs through Dec. 18.

Lee F. Snyder, EMU interim provost, asked these questions of the campus community at a convocation service Wednesday, Jan. 7, the opening week of second (spring) semester.

Lee F. Snyder, EMU interim provost, speaks to the campus community during EMU’s spring convocation Monday, Jan. 5. Photo by Jon Styer

Speaking with an enlarged image of the Earth projected on to a screen behind her on the Lehman Auditorium stage, Dr. Snyder noted that “this globe suggests the infinite mystery of God’s creation. But, it also represents a sphere with boundaries and – we now acknowledge – increasingly scarce natural resources.

“We refer indirectly to the world in the university mission statement, ‘EMU educates students to serve and lead in a global context.’ By that we suggest that we have a responsibility, a God-given mandate to relate to the world in some particular way – by serving and leading,” she said.

“Here at the beginning of 2009, from a magnificent, but scarred and scorched earth, we honor the God of enduring love; of unstinting mercy and grace. We raise our heads for a few minutes from the computer screen, we pull the head phones from our ears, we look up from our text messages, we push the book aside and think about the God of the Cosmos; of those vast reaches of space and time; God the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. For God so loved the cosmos,” Snyder continued.

“As we begin the year 2009, we simply remind ourselves that the cosmic God also gets very personal,” Snyder said. “It is neither presumptuous nor arrogant to stand back from this magnificent image of the planet and see ourselves as part of an ineffably beautiful but needy world – as significant partners with God in the work of peace and reconciliation.

And, there is something you can do now,” the provost told the assembly. “Students, take this opportunity for study and vocational preparation as the only world you inhabit at the moment. Discipline yourself in your work, ask questions, open yourselves to possibilities which might take you in new directions.

“Our responsibility is to be attuned to the ways that each of us personally is being called to be involved in God’s project of loving the world,” Snyder added.

“My prayer for you students, particularly, in a time of economic fears and unabated violence around the world, is that you would be willing to live on the edge of uncertainty while remaining compassionate and curious; that you would be propelled by a vision of healing and hope for the world which still receives God’s love.”

Cross-cultural Prayer and Sending

The service concluded with a commissioning and prayer led by associate campus pastor Byron Peachey for EMU cross-cultural groups who will spend second semester in Central America and India, respectively.

Kim Gingerich Brenneman, professor of psychology, and her husband, Bob Brenneman, are leading 24 students on a semester-long seminar in India, where they will explore the country’s history, government and culture, study and interact with the differing religions and learn fundamentals of the Hindi language. They will live with host families and keep daily journals.

Dr. Beth Aracena, director of the cross-cultural program, invites friends of the cross-cultural students forward for a parting prayer. Photo by Jon Styer

The Brennemans led EMU’s first semester-long cross-cultural to India the spring of 2007.

Ann Graber Hershberger, professor of nursing, and her husband, Jim Hershberger, will lead the 22 participants in experiencing the world of Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras. Students will spend significant time with CASAS (Central American Study and Service), a cross-cultural study program in Guatemala.

The first two months, members will live with families in Guatemala City while learning Spanish and studying the culture, history and current issues including immigration, trade and economics. Special focus will be given to relating to and understanding the Guatemalan/Mayan Anabaptist churches. Students will then participate in a service-learning opportunity in rural Guatemala or Honduras.

EMU’s second (spring) semester runs through Apr. 24.