The training is highly selective, demanding, and rigorous. To be considered for the academy, applicants must be physically and mentally fit and meet FAA standards for vision, hearing, and cardiovascular, neurological, and psychological health, according to the . Less than 10% of those who apply are accepted into the academy. 

Trainees, who receive an hourly salary while enrolled at the academy, use tabletop models of airports and control tower simulators to replicate managing plane takeoffs and landings while in a high-stress, high-stakes environment. Each year, about 1,500 trainees pass through the doors of the FAA Academy and roughly 35% of them drop out.

“Everyone I know who has been through the academy says I would be a good fit for it,” Miller said. 

Once she completes her training at the academy, Miller will be assigned to work at an airport and must gain one to three years of on-the-job experience before becoming a certified professional controller. Within three years in the field, she can expect to earn more than $160,000 per year, the average salary for a certified professional controller, according to the FAA.

For Miller, a native of York, Pennsylvania, becoming an air traffic controller is about more than money. She said the plane crashes in Philadelphia and Washington D.C. in January 2025 prompted her to reflect on how she could contribute more effectively to the safety and security of the National Airspace System. 

“Those crashes opened my eyes to the critical need for more air traffic controllers,” Miller said. “Aviation has given me so much, and I want to give back by becoming a controller.”

A place to land

While in high school, Miller earned a private pilot license and realized her love for flying. She attended Mount Saint Mary’s University, a private Catholic university in Emmitsburg, Maryland, for a year while she explored how to channel her passion into a career. That’s when she discovered the growing aviation program at EMU Lancaster.

Miller thrived as a student in the program. She became the third recipient of the school’s Robert J. Rummel Aviation Scholarship, which supports EMU students who have demonstrated an enthusiastic commitment to their academic studies and flight training. The scholarship is distributed over four years and provides an annual award of $5,000.

Miller said her favorite part of the EMU aviation program is the small class sizes and the many ratings and certificates students can earn. “Not many schools have the type of program that EMU does,” she said. “I would totally choose EMU again and again. I’ve had nothing but great experiences.”

Cleared for takeoff

These days, Miller works as an administrative clerk at the FAA’s Flight Standards District Office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She passed her Flight Instructor Checkride on Tuesday, qualifying her to teach student pilots as a certified flight instructor.

Her mentor, John Sibole, an adjunct faculty member in the aviation program and a longtime FAA inspector at the Flight Standards District Office, said that he’s heard glowing reports about her. “She’s such a positive, hardworking young woman, and I look forward to hearing about her success as a leader in the aviation world,” he said.

Amber Lynn, customer service manager for Aero-Tech Services, said that Miller brings a safety-first mindset and a genuine love of learning to her flight training. “I believe she will use the leadership skills and aviation knowledge she has gained over the past few years to become the best air traffic controller she can be,” Lynn said. “The aviation community is lucky to have her.”

The longtime higher education innovator and industry professional said she’s excited to expand access to EMU Lancaster’s transformative learning opportunities and continue building onto the site’s established presence as a trusted educational partner.

“I want people to recognize that we have a gem here,” Mak said. “I feel like we’re kind of hidden, so let’s shine a spotlight on it.”

EMU Lancaster continues to experience growth in its program enrollment and course offerings. Among its recent successful developments:

• The aviation program welcomed another large cohort of students for the fall 2025 semester. Sky-high demand for the program led to a waitlist for the 2025 cohort.
• The site launched an evening Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) cohort, expanding access for working adults and meeting critical needs of the regional health care workforce.
• The Trauma and Resilience in Educational Environments (TREE) program continues to see enrollment growth and is now a fully online asynchronous graduate certificate program.
• The school introduced a new drone certification course, demonstrating its responsiveness to emerging market demands and professional development opportunities. 

Mak said she looks forward to working with the rest of the EMU Lancaster team and the Lancaster community at large to explore new and meaningful partnerships and new ways of delivering innovative and quality educational programs that are relevant to the workforce and professional development needs of the region.

Prior to her expanded role leading EMU Lancaster, Mak helped strengthen the online programs at EMU, particularly at the graduate level. She collaborated with faculty across campus to implement online education best practices, partnered with the Graduate Recruitment Team to enhance prospective student experiences by streamlining website content and lead collection, and worked with the Advancement Team to establish the Online Education Advisory Committee of EMU Alumni, achieving early successes with industry partnerships. 

Before joining EMU in 2024, she served as managing director of the Global Innovation Partnership Program in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems at Drexel University. The program, which she launched, provides valuable remote and in-person educational experiences to students, professionals, and faculty across three continents. 

She holds a doctorate in education with a concentration in higher education leadership and management, a master of science in biomedical engineering, and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering. Each of those degrees is from Drexel University.

Mak has more than 30 years of business executive experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, including serving as vice president of commercialization at Helius Medical Technologies and head of strategy of operations for multiple functions at Bristol-Myers Squibb.

She brings a collaborative and student-centered approach to leadership, along with a deep commitment to EMU’s mission and values. “At the end of the day, I chose EMU because of its values,” she said. “I really like the values of peacebuilding, social justice, community service, and serving with compassion. Those values resonated with me.”

EMU at Lancaster proudly celebrated the achievements of 45 graduates across its undergraduate and graduate programs at the ceremony, held at Forest Hills Mennonite Church in Leola, Pennsylvania, where it conferred 11 bachelor of science degrees (including six in the aviation program), seven master of arts degrees in education, and 27 graduate certificates.

The Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging at EMU, delivered the Commencement address. Dycus, who has spent 15 years working in learning communities and ministry settings, including the past six years at EMU, will begin her role as interim president of the university on July 1. She shared words of celebration and encouragement with the graduates, and recognized how they adapted, stretched, and sacrificed to complete their studies.

“You completed assignments with children on your lap, took exams during night shifts, joined Zoom classes between caregiving and work,” she said. “You have balanced more than books. You have raised families, worked jobs, navigated change, and carried responsibility, all while pursuing a vision that wouldn’t let go. You returned to the classroom not because it was easy, but because it mattered.”

That theme of persistence and perseverance was also expressed by EMU President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman in her welcome remarks, reflecting on how many graduates—immersed in their coursework during the COVID-19 pandemic—demonstrated remarkable fortitude and resilience, while testing the bonds of what it means to be a supportive community of learners. Huxman, EMU’s first woman president and its first academic president, is retiring this year after nine years at the helm.

Four members of the graduating class provided perspectives from their time at EMU at Lancaster.

Jill Jones, who earned a graduate certificate in trauma and resilience in educational environments, shared how a breast cancer diagnosis and a decision to transition from teaching kindergartners to preschoolers in a Head Start program led her to EMU at Lancaster. She first scrolled past an ad for the graduate program on her Facebook feed, but when it kept appearing—and a friend texted her suggesting she apply—she decided to take a chance.

“What I found was the most amazing learning experience I have ever encountered: classes with students and professors who were as passionate about teaching others about trauma as I was, connections and relationships with people not only from all over the country but also in different countries, and courses that were so interesting I couldn’t wait to learn more and share what I had learned,” she said. “This program not only made me a better teacher but also a better person, and I use what I learned in this program daily in my classroom and life. It breathed back into me my love of teaching, with my only regret being that I didn’t do it sooner.”

A pair of graduates from the aviation program, Griffin Snyder and Ella Hickey, spoke about their commitment as a class to see everyone succeed. Snyder said they’ve not only learned how to operate aircraft but also how to manage pressure, assess risk, and lead with professionalism. He credited the program with cultivating essential skills in discipline, communication, and perseverance. “At EMU Lancaster, it’s not just about earning our certificates and ratings,” he said. “It’s about the community we built along the way. Together, we have celebrated milestones, supported each other through challenges, and pushed one another to be our best.”

Behind every successful pilot is a team, Hickey said, whether it’s instructors, classmates, or the aviation community. “There was never any hesitation if someone needed help, we were there,” she said, describing late-night study sessions and endless phone calls with classmates. “We showed up for each other in a selfless way, balancing our own goals with a genuine commitment to seeing everyone succeed.”

Wesley Morgan, who earned a BS in Leadership and Organizational Management, spoke about the challenge of balancing coursework with other responsibilities. “All of us have full-time jobs, families, and homes to take care of, and chose to add ‘student’ to the many hats we have been wearing over the past two years,” he said, recalling a time writing a paper at the hospital while his wife and newborn were asleep.

He found support through his cohort in the LOM degree completion program. “We all met together weekly, all had the same assignments, and this meant we were all a part of each other’s lives for the two years we were together,” Morgan said. “We were not just classmates, we became friends as we worked together, struggled together, and learned together. It was a privilege to be a part of this program with the cohort we had.”

EMU at Lancaster offers undergraduate and graduate academic programs and professional development programs to help students excel in today’s workforce.

Meghan Shober performed the prelude for the ceremony. Janet Lind, member of the EMU Board of Trustees, led the opening prayer of invocation. Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs at EMU, presented and commissioned the graduates. Dr. David Martin, director of graduate teacher education, and Derek Kline, director of the aviation program, distributed diploma covers to the graduates. EMU President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman conferred the degrees and provided the Commencement blessing. 

What do wedding photographers, real estate agents, inspectors and land surveyors have in common?

Answer: They’re all using drones to elevate their business. Whether it’s capturing aerial photos of special events and houses for sale or creating 3D maps of structures and properties, working professionals in a variety of industries are growing increasingly reliant on using drones to get the job done. To do any of those things, however, requires a remote pilot certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

“A lot of people don’t know that,” said John Sibole, former aviation program director at EMU Lancaster. “They think, ‘Oh, if I’m using a drone for a nonprofit, then I don’t need this certificate,’ but that’s not true. You need it for anything you do beyond strictly recreational flying.”

The remote pilot certificate, also known as an FAA Part 107 certificate, is required by the U.S. government for anyone operating a drone beyond recreational purposes. The written knowledge test to earn this credential can be a challenging one, especially for those without a background in aviation.

Fortunately, for those seeking a pathway to commercial drone piloting, a new program at EMU can help prepare them for this test. Offered at both the Harrisonburg and Lancaster campuses through EMU Continuing and Professional Education, the noncredit Drone Certification Program will equip participants with the skills needed for safe and innovative drone operations.

Participants in the program will spend 20 hours of instructional time, from Friday afternoon to Monday morning, learning about essential subjects for the exam: drone regulations, the National Airspace System, weather and preflight planning. The final four hours of the course will involve hands-on experience piloting a drone. After completing the course, participants can schedule the exam at a designated testing center, with locations in Lancaster and Charlottesville. 

“The demand for skilled drone operators is growing across industries, and EMU is excited to offer a program that meets this need,” said Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost at EMU. “This course not only prepares professionals for FAA certification but also empowers them to use drones in innovative and impactful ways.”

Upcoming course dates include March 28-31 in Harrisonburg and May 2-5 at EMU Lancaster in Lititz, Pennsylvania. For more dates and information, visit: emu.edu/graduate/drone

Sibole, who has over 50 years of professional aviation experience, including service as an FAA inspector, will provide instruction for the courses. He said the program’s in-person training and its concentrated nature sets it apart from other courses, which are done online. “Here, you actually get to fly a drone,” Sibole said, “which wouldn’t be possible through an online course.”

The program is designed to support busy professionals from diverse fields such as agriculture, construction, public safety, live events and sports, though Sibole said it’ll be useful for anyone looking to add another tool to their toolbox. 

“There’s a catchy line the former head of the FAA once said,” shared Sibole. “We’ve had the jet age, the space age, and now we’re in the drone age.”

Watch this video of EMU students, faculty and alumni learning to pilot drones during a training session in September.

Perhaps the greatest love in his life—other than his wife, Frances, and their children—was aviation. Hartman, an instrument-rated pilot since 1959, managed a small airfield east of Charlottesville in the 1960s. He enjoyed flying through the skies above his home “low and slow” in his 1966 Cessna 172, recalled his friend and legal adviser Marshall Yoder. Hartman delighted in taking his family on his flights and seeing the scenery from a fresh perspective.

“Len was a skilled pilot,” Yoder said. “He would float down and there would barely be a ‘thump’ when he’d land.”

As he entered his 90s, Hartman stopped flying his plane as often and began talking to Yoder about parting with it. He wanted to leave it in the right hands, where it could do the most good. But, he hadn’t yet found the right cause.

When Yoder told him about the burgeoning aviation program at EMU Lancaster and how his plane could greatly impact the next generation of pilots, Hartman found his answer. Before his death in February 2022, Hartman ensured that his beloved Cessna, as well as 25 percent of his estate, would be gifted to EMU. Because the gift was unrestricted, the university and its advancement division could decide how best to use it.

“Len knew there was a worldwide shortage of pilots, and he knew there would always be people interested in flight,” said Braydon Hoover, who worked with Hartman and Yoder on establishing the endowment. “And so, to honor his memory, we decided to put it all into a scholarship named after him.”

The J. Leonard “Len” Hartman Scholarship for Aviation will provide more than $17,000 in funds each year, starting in fall 2025, for aviation students at EMU Lancaster who demonstrate financial need.

The Hartman endowment totals about $345,000, which includes $20,000 from the sale of the Cessna. Hartman’s gift will help EMU live into its vision of opening new pathways of access and achievement, a vision outlined in the university’s 2023-28 strategic plan, Pathways of Promise: Preparing Tomorrow’s Unifying Leaders.

“It has quickly become one of our larger named endowed scholarships,” Hoover said, “for one of the fastest growing programs at EMU.”

You can contribute to scholarships for future aviators at EMU by donating online at and typing “J. Leonard Hartman Aviation Scholarship” or “Scholarship for Aviation” into the text field. Contact kirk.shisler@emu.edu for more details on how to support this worthy cause.

John Sibole, director of aviation at EMU Lancaster, said the scholarships will allow the program to further diversify its student body and recruit students from new areas.

“We at EMU Lancaster would like to express our sincere gratitude for the implementation of the Len Hartman scholarship fund for our aviation students,” Sibole said.

“The flight training component of their education is expensive, and these scholarships, which will be awarded in part on a needs basis, will provide new pathways of access into the aviation profession for underserved young people,” he added.

EMU’s aviation program soars

Word is spreading throughout the aviation industry about the strength of EMU’s program and the quality of its graduates. As a result, the EMU aviation program continues to grow in popularity. The program, which began in 2018 with five students, will welcome 24 students this upcoming semester—its largest cohort yet. Current enrollment in the program is at 49 students. A total of 21 students, in three cohorts so far, have graduated from the program to date.

Students enrolled in the four-year Leadership and Organizational Management (LOM) major with an aviation concentration earn a bachelor’s degree and the FAA credentials they need to become professional pilots. Students are paired with flight instructors though EMU’s flight training partner at the Lancaster Airport in Lititz, Pennsylvania. While the program provides at least 270 hours of flight time, many students earn up to 1,000 hours by the time they graduate, said Sibole, noting that nearly 100 percent of their students find jobs within their first year of graduating.

One of the benefits of an aviation program the size of EMU’s is that students are given guaranteed weekly flight training slots with access to aircraft and an instructor. That’s something, Sibole said, that isn’t available at a lot of larger schools.

It’s a major reason Will Stover, a third-year aviation student, chose to attend EMU.

“You’re going to be flying pretty much from day one,” he said. “And you have guaranteed flight slots, so there’s no question you’ll be flying and you’ll be flying regularly.”

When students enter their senior year, they are required to complete a supervised internship with an established aviation organization for a full semester. For many aviation graduates, those internships translate into full-time careers.

During her senior year, Ivy Kreiser, a member of the program’s first cohort, interned at , a private charter and aviation services company in Lancaster. She landed a job there after graduating in 2022 and now works there as a second-in-command.

Becoming a pilot can be expensive. The affordability of EMU’s aviation program, compared to other schools, was a big draw for her.

“The EMU program is great because you’re going to get the education you need, the experience you need, and the flight schools you need,” Kreiser said. “You’re going to meet with professors who will give you the connections you’re hoping for and that you want. And you’re not going to spend as much money as some of the other big programs out there.”

Hartman leaves a legacy

In addition to donating to EMU, Hartman gifted parts of his estate to a library, school, retirement home and church, Yoder said.

The attorney fondly recalls spending afternoons on Hartman’s front porch, talking about everything from politics and religion to Virginia Tech basketball.

“He was such a decent, nice person,” Yoder said. “I miss being able to talk to him. But I think he would be really happy knowing where his bequest is going.”

For more information about EMU’s aviation program, visit:

The first to fill this new position, Jensen will focus on organizational leadership and program development beginning July 1, 2015. She is currently associate dean for academic affairs at Bethel Seminary, associated with Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“I am honored to be chosen for this position,” Jensen says. “EMU is a gem of a university with a wonderful history and legacy that is firmly rooted in its Anabaptist Mennonite commitments and which provides a strong foundation for moving forward into its second century. The Lancaster site already contributes greatly to the influence and visibility of EMU. I’m looking forward to expanding on that.”

Creation of the associate provost’s position was recommended by a five-member task force formed in the fall of 2013 to research new administrative structures for the growing site and its programs. The task force included two representatives of the Harrisonburg and Lancaster administrative staff, and three additional members appointed by each of the academic programs in Lancaster. , professor of organizational studies at EMU’s , served as a non-voting facilitator.

“This new position will allow EMU to enhance its presence in the region and strengthen collaborative ties between Lancaster-based offices and the main campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia,” said .

Siegfried named director of operations

A second administrative position, created on the recommendation of the task force, has also been filled. , MA ’15 (organizational leadership), former office manager for EMU at Lancaster, moves into revised and expanded duties as director of operations. She will oversee the office and physical plant, technology, human resources and finances at the site, located in the Greenfield Corporate Center, off U.S. Route 30 in Lancaster.

“Any of the thousands of students who have taken a class through EMU Lancaster will remember Julie’s significant behind-the-scenes work,” Kniss said.

In her present position at Bethel Seminary since 2013, Jensen has been responsible for a wide variety of administrative tasks associated with the seminary’s St. Paul and San Diego, California, campuses, and distance learning programs, including academic affairs, faculty hiring and supervision, curriculum alignment, assessment and improvement, and budget planning.

“Her experience and expertise in grant writing and program development, as well as in managing organizational relationships at a distance will serve EMU at Lancaster well,” said Kniss.

At Lancaster, Jensen will provide strategic leadership and enhance collaborative support processes for programming; pursue growth opportunities by growing enrollment in current programs and developing new programs to serve regional needs; and strengthen the communication and supportive relationships between EMU Lancaster and the main campus in Harrisonburg.

Jenson in higher education since ’90

Jensen earned an EdD in organization learning and development from the University of St. Thomas in 2010. She entered higher education in 1990, working at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, as a coordinator of residence life. She then entered their master’s in counseling education program, working as a therapist in the university’s counseling center while earning her degree.

In 1997, she moved to Minnesota to become associate dean for relationship education at Bethel University. From 2000 to 2013, she was the program director for marriage and family therapy at Bethel Seminary.

In 2007, Jensen was a visiting professor at the Kiev Mohyla Business School, Kiev, Ukraine, which offers MBA and master’s programs in leadership, banking and finance, as well as corporate training. As a consultant, she also conducted a needs assessment and provided recommendations which resulted in the establishment of a grant development department at the school.

Jensen has considerable teaching experience in psychology, psychotherapy, and spiritual formation, as well as several years of academic consulting in non-profit, K-12, and higher education on the topics of leadership coaching, faith-work integration, organizational change, and cultural competency.

She has conducted more than 40 invited presentations in academic, professional, community, and church settings on range of topics including leadership, intercultural competency, relationships, parenting, communication, sexuality, work-life effectiveness, and formation.

A native of Minnesota, Jensen earned her bachelor’s degree in music education at Northwestern College in 1984 and taught for four years at Waukegan Christian School in Zion, Illinois.

Each year, a new group of highly motivated and gifted scholars is invited to join the EMU . From this group, two prospective students are selected to receive the annual full-tuition .

Nicole Litwiller of Sarasota, Florida, and Maria Yoder of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will begin their education in the fall of 2015 as contributors to EMU’s legacy of academic excellence.

During Honors Weekend in February, Litwiller and Yoder came to campus with 42 other candidates for the final interview process. The group averaged 1,269 on the SAT critical reading and math sections, 29 on the ACT and a high-school grade point average (GPA) of 4.11.

Full Tuition Yoder Scholarships

The Yoder Scholarships, established in 1993, are named for Paul and Carol Yoder of Harrisonburg, Virginia, both 1963 graduates of EMU. The rigorous selection process for the two scholarships includes a comprehensive academic and service resume, letters of recommendation, creative essays and interviews with Honors Program professors. Candidates who do not win the full-tuition scholarships receive academic scholarships covering approximately half of tuition, as well as membership in the Honors Program.

“We are looking for creative students with wide-ranging interests and strong leadership abilities,” said , a mathematics professor and faculty member in the Honors Program.

Benefits Include 1:1 Mentoring and Critical Thinking Boosts

Over the past three years, the graduation rate for EMU honors students was 100 percent, with a third completing double or triple majors. These students, representing diverse cultural, racial and religious backgrounds, participate in special academic and co-curricular opportunities to learn from and be mentored by faculty.

A majority of honors graduates responding to a 2009 alumni survey “strongly agreed” that the program increased their overall learning and deepened critical thinking skills. Forty-two percent of the survey respondents indicated an educational track beyond their undergraduate degree.

Maria Yoder: The Animal Lover

Maria Yoder loves cats and dogs, and as she took biology classes in the past year, she thought about becoming a veterinarian someday. Lately she’s been volunteering at an animal hospital. At EMU, she plans to enroll in the pre-professional health sciences program.

At Hempfield High School, Yoder is involved in sports, music, tutoring and academic clubs. She was captain of her school’s volleyball team, which won consecutive state championships in 2013 and 2014. She is also captain of the track and field team. A cellist in the school orchestra, she was selected this spring for the state orchestra.

At EMU, Yoder will run , her favorite sport, and join the team. She will play cello in the orchestra.

“I like to keep a busy schedule,” she says, “but I have to be organized and make sure to leave some time for relaxing so I don’t feel overwhelmed.”

Her parents, Randy and Marianne Kurtz Yoder, graduated from EMU in 1982 and 1983, respectively. Her mother earned a in 2013. Although EMU was high on Yoder’s list, she also considered Haverford College near Philadelphia and the University of Mary Washington in Virginia.

Nicole Litwiller: Looking Forward to Cross-Cultural

Nicole Litwiller says that “EMU has been on my radar since I was young.” Her parents are both graduates – Larry ’80 and Nelda Rempel Litwiller ‘85. “I am excited to expand my faith and be challenged by professors,” she says. “Also, I love how EMU puts a huge focus on becoming more knowledgeable about other cultures worldwide.”

During the middle of her sophomore year, Litwiller went through an emotional experience when her family moved from Kansas to Florida the day after Christmas. She did not know anyone at Sarasota Christian School, but she looks back on that transition as full of “many new and fun things.”

Today she is president of her senior class, and she is trying to make the year an unforgettable one for her classmates. During her sophomore and junior years, she was on her school’s team that advanced to world competition both times.

A member of her high school soccer team and one of its three captains, Litwiller will probably play for EMU this fall.

Her major, at this point, is undecided. “I hope that through my classes, the cross-cultural trip and other experiences at EMU that my path will become clearer,” she says. “I am looking forward to many opportunities to experience the world.”