This year’s LovEMU Giving Day was an out-of-the-park grand slam, and we’re not just talking about the one hit by a Royals slugger at Wednesday’s baseball game.

The eighth annual giving day extravaganza, held on Wednesday, April 10, was bigger than previous years — featuring a number of new events that amped up the LovEMU spirit — and raised more money than ever before. A total of $340,512 was raised throughout the 24-hour event, cruising past the $325,000 goal set by organizers and eclipsing the $300,915 raised last year (a 13% increase).  

“I am blown away by the support from this community,” said LovEMU organizer Nicole Litwiller ’19, MA ’20 (conflict transformation), annual giving and donor communication specialist. “Not only did we raise over $340,000, which is in itself a massive accomplishment, but we also saw the EMU community (from current students, to alumni, to faculty and staff) show up for this day to make each event special and full of joy.”

EMU students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends shared what they loved most about EMU online (using the #EMUGivingDay and #StrongerTogether hashtags) and on campus. They showed up and showed out at LovEMU Giving Day events held throughout the day. And, they gave like never before, unlocking all $125,000+ of challenge match funds for The University Fund, student scholarships, athletics, and Royal Women for EMU.

This year saw the return of the leaderboard competition. For every $10 donation they made, supporters could vote for an academic program, student club/organization and athletic team. The winners of those categories — Music (85 votes), The Weather Vane (37 votes), and Men’s Soccer (192 votes) — each won $1,000. View the second-place and third-place winners, which received $500 and $250, on the LovEMU website at .

Here’s a recap of the events and unlocked challenges that made LovEMU Giving Day 2024 a smashing success:

Events

Inspired by the ’80s theme in our leading up to the event, folks at EMU showed up to campus looking like they just left an aerobics workout class — think teased hair, neon blue eyeshadow and neon windbreakers, warm-up jackets, legwarmers and headbands — while rocking out to hits from the decade.

Those attending the morning’s pep rally got a sweet start to their day with doughnuts (each representing the cost of an EMU education that donors cover). The EMU pep band added electricity to the first-ever LovEMU pep rally, while emcees Braydon Hoover ‘11, MA ‘21 (organizational leadership) and Harrisonburg, Virginia, Mayor Deanna Reed pumped up the crowd. 

An alumna, a current student and an admitted student each shared what they love about EMU. Nora Osei ’15, an EMU basketball and soccer player who now works as director of growth and partnerships for Nike Sports Camps, shared her tips for finding success. “You don’t have to be a standout athlete or student at EMU to find success,” she told the crowd. EMU senior psychology major and multi-sport athlete Kate Landis talked about the highlights of her last four years at EMU. Admitted student Megan Smith said she had visited 10 other colleges and did not consider EMU as a possibility. But, after seeing the clean campus, enjoying the good food at the dining hall and learning about the strong nursing program, she said EMU felt like home. “My mom and I got back into our car and we looked at each other and said, ‘This is the right place,’” said Smith.

Then, for a memorable moment from the day as President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman donned safety glasses and a poncho in preparation for a pie to the face. Because we surpassed our goal set in the We’ve Got Spirit Challenge, we unlocked $10,000 to The University Fund and got the honor of watching Herm pie the president. As it turns out, Herm has great aim! Watch a of the pep rally on the EMU Facebook page. 

Following the pep rally, a team of faculty and staff faced off against students in ���DZ����ѱ�’s first-ever game of dodgeball. The faculty/staff team left the court victorious after one game. Yoder Arena’s courts then opened up for pickleball, basketball, volleyball and the climbing wall. 

Also new this year was the addition of Admitted Student Day to the LovEMU Day and SGA Day festivities. More than 20 admitted students visited the campus for the day, taking tours, learning about programs at the University Fair and panel discussions and participating in the spirited LovEMU events. It was, what President Huxman called, “a trifecta day.” When Herm was asked about how the day was going, he gave an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

About 475 people soaked in the spring sunshine and enjoyed food, fun and fellowship at the Lunch & Lawn Party held on Thomas Plaza. They played lawn games on the grass and competed in contests such as the egg toss.

As mentioned at the beginning of our recap, Wednesday’s baseball game featured a grand slam from utility player Alex Gulisano as the Royals defeated the Fighting Squirrels of Mary Baldwin in a 12-2 drubbing. Another highlight of the game was infielder Ethan Spraker’s inside-the-park home run. The game drew a large crowd, who enjoyed treats from the Ott Street Eats food truck courtesy of the SGA.

Hundreds of people from all ages and backgrounds celebrated the funds rolling in at a barbecue cookout held in the evening in front of the University Commons. Grillmaster Dennis Showalter ’73, president of the Alumni Council, served up fresh burgers and hot dogs. The Rain Pickers, a trio of strings musicians and EMU alumni, performed live music while hungry Royals chowed down. Pioneer College Caterers provided their services for lunch and dinner.

The LovEMU energy continued well into the night, fueled by a karaoke sing-off contest judged by Professor Daniel Showalter, Security Officer Elizabeth Jones, Mayor Reed and Herm. Each of the winning clubs received $100! International Students Organization (ISO) won Most Engaging/Best All-Around, Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA) won Most EMU Love, and Queer Student Alliance (QSA) and Latino Student Alliance (LSA) split the winnings from the Best Theme category. 

LovEMU Giving Day came to a close with a biscuits and jam bar and live music from talented musicians in the Student Union. Litwiller said a highlight of her day came when time was nearing midnight in the Student Union with several students who stuck it out. “When we surpassed $340,000, cheers erupted, Tyler Goss started playing ‘We Are the Champions’ over the speakers, and everyone sang along in celebration,” Litwiller said. “It was a beautiful moment to be a part of, and reminded me of why we do this work: To support these amazing students. I’m filled with gratitude today.”

Challenges

Early Challenge: Before the day even started, the gifts came rolling in. We received at least 100 gifts before the start of LovEMU Giving Day to unlock $10,000 to student scholarships. 120+ out of 100 gifts needed were given!

Loyal Royal Challenge: EMU alumni gave more than 250 gifts over the 24-hour span to best the goal set for this challenge and unlock $15,000 to The University Fund. 252 out of 250 gifts needed were given!

Stronger Together Challenge: Non-alumni deepened their commitment to EMU by making at least 175 gifts throughout the day and unlocking $15,000 to student scholarships. 202 out of 175 gifts needed were given!

Future Royal Challenge: Because 15 prospective students attending LovEMU Giving Day paid their tuition deposit, we unlocked $15,000 to The University Fund.

Wake Me Up Before You Give-Give Challenge: Early birds helped reach this challenge by giving 75 gifts between 6 and 9 a.m. to unlock $10,000 to The University Fund. 88 out of 75 gifts needed were given!

We’ve Got Spirit Challenge: The EMU faithful showed their Royal pride during the pep rally by giving 50 gifts between 10 and 11 a.m. and unlocking $10,000 to The University Fund (as well as a chance to watch Herm pie the president). 54 out of 50 gifts needed were given!

Rally with Royal Women Challenge: Royal Women for EMU, a new networking and philanthropy initiative, raises direct financial aid for students who want to attend EMU. President Huxman matched every dollar donated up to $9,000 in this challenge between noon and 3 p.m. A total of $21,632.70 was raised during this challenge! 

The Roar Heard ’Round the World Challenge: Donors joined Herm in letting their love for EMU be heard all around the world by awarding 75 gifts between 5 and 7 p.m. and unlocking $10,000 to The University Fund. 88 out of 75 gifts needed were given!

What’s Love Got to Do With It Challenge: Loving EMU is not a secondhand emotion. Because we received 50 gifts between 7:30 and 9 p.m., we unlocked $10,000 to student scholarships. 52 out of 50 gifts needed were given!

Carrie Us to Midnight Challenge: Athletics supporters showed their love for EMU sports and Athletics Director Carrie Bert by pitching in 100 donations between 9 p.m. and midnight to unlock $10,000 to the Athletics Annual Fund. 119 out of 100 gifts needed were given!

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared of their time to tell us how you LovEMU, and joined in the festivities on campus!

For more photos from the day’s events, swipe through our below:

The awardees were Leymah Gbowee MA’07, ; Ronit Avni, a Peabody Award-winning ; and Suhad Babaa, the , an organization dedicated to increasing media coverage and support for Palestinian and Israeli grassroots leaders working for peace.

The seeks lasting peace in the Middle East by empowering girls and young women from the region through education, and provides scholarships and awards to study in North America and the United Kingdom. Since the foundation’s inception in 2010, it has helped nearly 400 women further their education.

To view WHSV news coverage, click .

‘The balance of our world’

Founder Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish’s three daughters Bisan, Mayar and Aya were killed in 2009 by Israeli fire in Gaza just four months after their mother died from leukemia. Their lives are memorialized in his memoir : A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity (Bloomsburg, 2012).

Women are “the heroines” behind the success of any community, Abuelaish said at the gala. “I know that when we all come together as men and women, elders and children, all people, for the good of all people, women are the balance of our world. Women are the only hope this world has to rise up and reach its greatness.”

Daughters for Life scholars will be able to earn master’s degrees in conflict transformation or restorative justice at EMU’s , which boasts over 600 alumni working in 78 countries.

EMU president voiced a “tremendously appreciative” thanks to the supporters of EMU’s peace education, adding that Abuelaish’s book is “one of the most fragile and inspiring stories I have ever, ever heard.”

Affirming the invaluable role of women peacebuilders

The each thanked Abuelaish for his work, and noted the importance of women in peacebuilding efforts around the world.

Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist, social worker and women’s rights advocate. She is founder and president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa and a distinguished residence scholar at the Union Seminary in New York. She called Abuelaish “a true hero. Thank you for taking those girls, transforming their lives, by bringing to light what was already in them.”

Gbowee also had a broader message for her fellow awardees as well as for everyone present. “As long as we sit back or hide the great work that women are doing in every community, the definition of a world will always be a wicked place. But I know deep down in my heart that there are more good people on this earth than evil people, and we have to dare to bring it out.”

“This is a moment of celebration,” she said, “but it’s also a moment of reflection, a time for us to stop and ask ourselves, ‘Do we just want to stop where we are? Or, do we want to push?’ We have a challenge, not just for the three of us who have received this award, but for every individual in this room, to elevate the work that women are doing everywhere around the world.”

Ronit Avni founded and for over a decade was the executive director of Just Vision, which creates films, digital media and public education campaigns to raise awareness and support for Palestinian and Israeli civilians working to build a future of freedom, dignity and equality for all.

The organization, she said, rose out of “an awareness that voices like yours [Abuelaish’s] need to be heard: People who don’t denigrate or subjugate or build physical or psychological walls between people, people who would rather agitate without arms for equality, safety and freedom than teach their daughters and sons to hate. These are the role models we need to learn from and support.”

She acknowledged the sadness of Abuelaish’s losses, adding the idea of her own three-year-old daughter’s absence is “unimaginable.”

“It’s my daughter who reminds me that my experiences as a parent are bound up in the hardships and joys of all of humanity,” she said. “It’s because of her that I can walk down the street anywhere in the world and see another parent and exchange knowing smiles as one of us tries to lug a child in one arms, and grocery bags in another one.”

Avni is now developing , an online platform that connects “successful diaspora professionals” with university students seeking career guidance.

Awardee Suhad Babaa is Avni’s successor as executive director at Just Vision. She previously was the organization’s director of programming, and said that storytelling can “shape the way that we understand pressing issues of the day, and transform the way that we think about and respond to those issues.”

In the face of change, in communities faced with tough questions in the face of “deep political failure,” in “long-term movements for dignity and for justice,” she said, the “power of narrative … holds true for issues across the globe and right here in our backyards, right here in the United States.”

“As the struggle in Israel and Palestine continues today,” she added, “I can’t thank you more for the award tonight, and for the recognition. But may it be a tribute to the Palestinians and Israelis, the human rights defenders, community organizers, activists, and journalists, who despite all odds, resist the notion that the world as it is will always be, and instead hold up a vision for not only what is possible, but what is already underway.”

“And more importantly,” she closed, “I ask those in this room, those who have gathered here today, to stand with them, to stand with the people, the women, the men, the youth, who are striving for something greater than ourselves. Support them. Champion them, and make sure that they flourish. Thank you so much.”

From tailoring or creating programs to meet workforce needs, offering continuing education opportunities or partnering with businesses on projects or to provide opportunities for students, all five local higher-education leaders detailed how they were making community connections.

“It’s so important for [the] economic and cultural value of an area to have institutions of higher education,” said David Zimmerman, director of National College’s Harrisonburg campus, who spoke first during Wednesday’s presentations. “The higher-education institutions provide the workforce.”

Each college leader was given the floor to update attendees about programs, construction or other developments on their respective campuses during the breakfast.

“The popularity of this event reflects a recognition of the importance of these institutions of higher learning in our community,” said Hobey Bauhan, chairman of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, who also serves as president of the .

At National College, Zimmerman said students are benefiting from new associate and bachelor’s programs in the high-demand field of cybersecurity and a redesign of the school’s information systems engineering program.

Zimmerman also emphasized, as did other presidents, the importance of having students complete internships.

National College is a for-profit institution with 31 campuses throughout the mid-Atlantic and Midwest, and has been in the city since the mid-1980s. Its Harrisonburg location is on Country Club Road.

President John Downey said faculty members at the Weyers Cave school also were doing their best to meet identified needs.

BRCC is offering special support to children who came through foster care — only about 20 percent of those students succeed in higher education, he said — and first-generation college students.

“We’re trying to focus on reaching out to those special populations of students who are at the most risk for not finishing,” Downey said.

The college also has new supports in place for students who speak English as a second language, students who are 50 and older and for those who need to gain manufacturing training.

“The college reflects the community serves,” Downey said.

One way , ��ݮ���� and are serving community needs is through increased enrollment. BC President David Bushman, EMU President Loren Swartzendruber and JMU President Jonathan Alger all said their institutions would boast more students this fall.

Bridgewater and James Madison will both set records, Bushman and Alger said.

Other successes for EMU include recognition the university has received for building and for the high grade-point averages of the women’s cross country team, Swartzendruber said.

The university also posted a successful fundraising campaign in 2012-13. The fiscal year that ended June 30 marked Eastern Mennonite’s best year for donations in a decade, Swartzendruber said.

JMU also had success on that front. Alger said new donations and gifts from alumni increased this year, while about 40 percent of faculty and staff also gave to the university.

“That was a real show of the commitment that people have,” Alger said.

He also gave a brief rundown of construction projects, informed attendees that the university was in the process of crafting a strategic plan through 2020, and highlighted the importance of the campus’ involvement in the community.

“We want our students, our faculty [and] our staff to be fully engaged in the community; to be thinking about challenges … and to try to make a difference while they’re here,” he said.

All those who spoke Wednesday gave a special nod to their newest colleague, Bushman, who took over as BC’s president June 1.

Bushman’s rundown of Bridgewater news included the campus’ groundbreaking for a renovation of Nininger Hall, which houses sports facilities and the college’s Health and Human sciences, and a “revitalization” of general education programs.

Bushman also said he was looking forward to hearing from the business community as he transitions into the role of president.

“This is a unique community [that has] a diversity of higher- education offerings,” he said. “We could not do our job well without your support.”

Courtesy Daily News Record, Aug. 8, 2013

Total giving to EMU for the 2012-13 fiscal year was $6,277,000, a 24 percent increase from the $5,059,000 given to EMU in the previous year. The most recent fiscal year was the second-best year for overall fundraising in the past decade, behind $6,562,000 in total support in the 2005-06 fiscal year.

CASE recognized EMU as one of five “superior fundraising programs” in its peer group, after a blind review of fundraising data over the past three years. Also recognized in EMU’s category were Abilene Christian University, Gonzaga University, the Rochester Institute of Technology and Union University.

“EMU continues to benefit from a very loyal core of alumni donors and individual friends of the university,” said , vice president for advancement. “We are very pleased to report that our efforts to increase the giving participation of alumni and current parents continues to bear fruit.”

The university was supported by a total of 3,830 donors last year, up from 3,565 the previous year. The number of alumni donor households increased from 1,942 to 1,995 from 2012 to 2013. Gifts from parents of current students increased from 53 to 86 over the same period, while gifts from parents of former students increased from 231 to 236.

The also enjoyed its best year to date, receiving more than $1.5 million in gifts and commitments last year. Through the end of June, the campaign had raised $5.9 million. Shisler anticipates reaching the campaign goal of $7 million during the current 2013-14 fiscal year.

Gifts to the , EMU’s unrestricted annual fund, totaled $1,767,000, while $358,000 was received in new gifts to the university’s endowment funds. The endowment funds support student financial aid, facilities maintenance and various academic programs.

“EMU is especially fortunate to have a donor constituency of alumni and friends who support the institution in three significant ways,” says Shisler. “[This happens] through consistent annual giving, through periodic capital giving to support our capital projects, and, increasingly, through people incorporating EMU into estate plans to make a major gift to EMU at the end of their lives.”

Over the past year, 50 people included EMU in their estate plans, bringing the size of the to 547.

The alumni giving rate now stands at about 23 percent. That is well above the national average for all universities (13%), and compares favorably to EMU’s peer institutions in Virginia as well as other Mennonite colleges.

“When I was a student here in 1995, I knew I wanted to return some day as faculty or staff,” said Horning. “As a student here I felt like a balloon that had lifted off the earth. Suddenly my horizons seemed endless. I have always wanted to help other students have that experience.”

Horning is responsible for both seminary fundraising and recruiting of students. He aims to grow the seminary annual fund and build a $2 million dollar scholarship endowment.

“The current economic situation makes it a challenging time to raise money,” he says, “But I see great possibilities for strengthening small givers and broadening our base of supporters.”

Actually, Horning says hard times prompt many people to focus on what is really important, including a strong seminary preparing much-needed church and community leaders.

“People are looking for things to believe in and to belong to,” he says.

In his admissions duties, Horning is working in tandem with Anita Fonseca, a new seminary student and admissions assistant, from Chile, both will work under the leadership of Laura Amstutz, MDiv ’06, director of seminary admissions.

Horning earned a BS from EMU in 1986, majoring in biology and chemistry. He completed an MDiv here in 1998. He and his wife Crystal have two daughters, 20-year-old Anya at EMU and Alanah, 18.

Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement, reported that contributions of $1,857,265 to the University Fund set a new record, surpassing the 2007 annual fund total of $1,764,068 by $93,197 or 5.3 percent.

“We are very grateful to our loyal alumni and friends for their increased support, especially in the midst of an uncertain economic climate,” Shisler added.

In addition to a successful year for EMU’s annual fund, Shisler reported that giving to EMU’s endowment fund was also up. Gifts to the endowment totaled $1,102,162 representing an increase of 46 percent over the previous year.

According to Shisler, this was the second year in the past ten when gifts to the EMU endowment surpassed the $1 million mark.

A combination of outright gifts and bequests from donors’ estates accounted for the contributions to EMU’s endowment fund. For example, EMU’s seminary benefited from a gift of $338,000 to establish an endowed fund for its clinical pastoral education program, which prepares students to serve in a hospital ministries.

Among the bequests EMU received this past year was an estate gift from the late Dr. Daniel B. Suter, who pioneered EMU’s biology and pre-med program. Suter’s bequest of $77,325 has been added to the Daniel B. Suter Chair in support of scholarships for biology majors at EMU.

During the 2007-08 fiscal year, EMU also received over $2.1 million in restricted gifts and grants. These contributions supported a broad range of EMU programs and projects as specifically designated by the donor. Both academic and athletic programs benefited from these restricted gifts.

“We are extremely grateful to our alumni, friends, faculty-staff and special partners whose generous contributions resulted in another record year of annual support for EMU,” said Loren Swartzendruber, EMU president.

“EMU benefits from an especially loyal group of donors whose passion for the university and its mission is consistently reflected in generous giving to undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs.”

By Dan Wright, Daily News-Record

One of the things Karl Stoltzfus learned at EMU was to do the math.

A statistics class taught the 1972 graduate and founder of Dynamic Aviation to mitigate risk in a high-risk business.

“What’s the statistical probability of something happening?” Stoltzfus asked. “Then, how many factors can you set in place to mitigate against that happening?”

EMU President Loren Swartzendruber (right) and EMU graduate and founder of Dynamic Aviation Karl Stoltzfus chat after the Harrisonburg Rockingham Business & Professional Club Annual Appreciation Luncheon Friday. Photo by Michael Reilly

Stoltzfus spoke Friday to about 70 members of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Business & Professional Club, which partners with EMU.

As an example of risk mitigation, he cited the company’s decision to fly only multiengine aircraft. If one engine fails, the aircraft is capable of flying to the next airport.

If a single-engine aircraft loses its engine, you have what Stoltzfus calls an “off-airport emergency landing.”

Stoltzfus estimates that over a 15-year period his company avoided seven to 12 off-airport emergency landings by not flying single-engine aircraft.

“We fly a lot at night. We fly over the world’s most dense rain forest in southern Panama,” he said. “We don’t want an airplane flying over that terrain with one engine.”

Funding Priorities

Before Stoltzfus spoke, EMU President Loren Swartzendruber summarized some funding priorities as the university prepares to launch a capital campaign.

EMU should increase annual contributions to the University Fund by 7 percent annually over the next five years, with a goal of $1.9 million.

The university’s endowment fund needs to be increased from $24 million to $40 million by 2014.

“Twenty-four million dollars is too small for an institution [with an enrollment of 1,600],” Swartzendruber said.

New science labs and renovation of Suter Science Center will require $30 million in contributions and grants, he added.

Renovation of the University Commons will cost $8.3 million, and an alumnus has contributed $3 million as a matching gift.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary, EMU is among Harrisonburg’s top 10 employers, with a work force of 360 people.

Each year, the university spends $16 million on salaries and benefits and pumps $21 million into the Shenandoah Valley’s economy.

Over its 90-year history, 20,000 teachers, nurses, social workers and business leaders have graduated from EMU, Swartzendruber said.

“EMU does have an economic impact on this community,” he added.

EMU At A Glance

• Founded 1917
• Enrollment 1,600
• Faculty & Staff 360
• Payroll $16.3 million
• Annual budget $28 million
• Economic Impact on the Shenandoah Valley $21 million

The trip’s purpose: exercise, fellowship and fund raising for Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, Pa. The group spent three nights of the ride at campgrounds and one night at a lodge on the Skyline Drive.

Fourteen of the participants are EMU alumni (l. to r.):

• Phil Helmuth, Harrisonburg
• Cliff Lind, Harrisonburg
• Emery Yoder, Harrisonburg
• Glen Lapp, Lancaster, Pa.
• Justin Shenk, Akron, Pa.
• David Martin, Akron
• Charity Shenk, Akron
• Paul A. Yoder, Harrisonburg
• Harry Mast, Broadway, Va.
• Jack Rutt, Harrisonburg
• Dayvid Graybill, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Don Bomberger (foreground), Harrisonburg
• Gloria Rutt, Harrisonburg
• Mary Glick, Harrisonburg

Phil N. Helmuth, executive director of development and director of church relations at EMU, rides in the bike tour. (Photo by Jim Bishop)

"The tour was a well-organized and -supported effort to tour with friends who share a passion for biking and for the work of Mennonite Central Committee around the world," said Phil N. Helmuth, executive director of development and director of church relations at EMU.

The group raised some $10,000 that will benefit MCC’s peace work, including the Anabaptist churches in Columbia who have suffered a four-decades-long conflict in that country.

These churches and other MCC partner organizations provide food, basic supplies, counseling and job training to people who have been displaced by violence.

Photos by Jim Bishop.