Describe your field of study and research.

After graduating from EMU, I studied government at Johns Hopkins University concentrating on political communication and democracy studies. My thesis topic was on the importance of local government and how it has a greater impact on the everyday lives of citizens than our federal and state governments that tend to dominate the headlines. I examined this through a case study of the impacts high school consolidation in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and national trends to consolidate schools.

After I finished graduate school, Paul Yoder [professor of teacher education at EMU] and I wrote an article for the , where we used a lesson about school consolidation in Rockbridge County as a way to teach how local government works through inquiry and primary source research.

How did your academic studies and professors at EMU prepare you for your graduate studies?

Professors Paul Yoder and Mary Sprunger helped me immensely in my preparation for graduate school. My senior history seminar thesis focused on Rockbridge County’s school and local history and I carried that over into my Honors Program capstone, where, under Paul’s guidance, I used my research to develop lesson plans to teach students about local government. 

These two projects challenged my ability to synthesize, summarize, and analyze a ton of information in such a way that I could present it clearly to a younger audience. Going into graduate school, these skills were useful for my work on my thesis portfolio and for comprehensive assignments and projects for my other classes.

What do you think made your application to graduate school stand out among others?

I think the focus of my writing samples on local government helped. I submitted one short paper that I wrote in a juvenile justice course about the closing of one juvenile facility in Natural Bridge, Virginia. Most of my colleagues in the graduate program were focusing on national or state level issues of government and politics. While these are still important, my focus on the local level from Day One provided a unique perspective. While my colleagues would focus on President Trump, redistricting, and partisanship, I would discuss how individual communities would be affected by different policies.

What attracted you to attend EMU as an undergraduate?

When I was looking at different colleges I had three criteria: I wanted to go to a school with a strong education program, I wanted to go to a Christian university, and I wanted to run cross country. As I got to know some of the faculty and staff through my visits at EMU, I felt that not only did  it fit my criteria, but that I was at home. Even though my family had a strong military background 鈥� very different from a Mennonite one 鈥� I was accepted by the staff and eventually my peers in my first semester. EMU provided a welcoming community along with the tools for success I was seeking. 

What are some favorite memories of your time at EMU?

I best remember my time with my cross country and track and field teammates. We bonded well, had great discussions, and were very competitive against other teams. My roommates all studied very different majors from me, so I remember always discovering different or unique perspectives in conversation. My time at EMU helped me grow a lot.

What do you think makes EMU graduates distinctive?

Their focus on worldview and placing their perspective in the context of other perspectives. This focus fosters a big picture approach to problem-solving and critical thinking when it is easy to get stuck in the small details.

Tell us about your current work and what you most enjoy about it.

I currently teach government, both regular and for college credit, and world history at Powhatan High School. I greatly enjoy the discussions that take place in my government classes. It is an interesting time to study our president and Congress, and the students have so many questions and are genuinely interested. My students in all of my classes are very curious and I enjoy working with them and teaching them through their inquiry.

Three students received the honor this year: Ariel Barbosa of Towson, Maryland; Kayla Leaman of Harrisonburg, Virginia; and Ben Stutzman of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They were chosen from a field of 47 applicants who had an average SAT score of 1339, average ACT score of 30 and average high school grade-point average of 4.16.

The scholars interview during Honors Weekend in February. Honors Program faculty conduct the interviews, evaluating academic performance, extracurricular activities, community involvement, creativity, leadership potential and other factors. Each applicant must prepare a portfolio and resum茅, write two short essays and submit two references.

The graduation rate for EMU honor students has been at 100 percent in recent years, with many completing more than one major. The students receive unique academic and co-curricular opportunities along with intensive mentoring from faculty.

Ariel Barbosa

When Ariel Barbosa came to Harrisonburg for her first visit to EMU, she fell in love.

鈥淚t was just incredible,鈥� Barbosa says. 鈥淚 got this feeling I hadn鈥檛 gotten at any other college. I just kept finding more things I liked about it: the people, the atmosphere, everything鈥攅specially how genuine people were. I鈥檓 grateful to have found it, and I鈥檓 so excited to start there.鈥�

Barbosa, an avid player, learned about EMU when coach contacted her last spring. She plans to play for the Royals alongside her academic studies, with an anticipated major in . She loves photography and is intrigued by a career in international 鈥渕issionary journalism,鈥� but 鈥淚鈥檓 open to any path where God calls me,鈥� she says.

Her interest in working abroad matches her international background. Her father is from Brazil, and Barbosa went to South America this past year to visit that side of the family. She has also聽traveled to聽Nicaragua with a group called More Than F霉迟产辞濒, which brings organized soccer to youth in impoverished regions of Central America.

Barbosa聽led two programs at her school: starting a chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which has grown rapidly, and working with other students to create a group called Best Buddies, which builds relationships between students who have mental disabilities and those who don鈥檛. Best Buddies recently painted a mural at the school as a fundraiser, and more than 300 students participated.

鈥淚鈥檓 very curious, and I like to understand the root causes of things,鈥� Barbosa says, of her motivation to learn.

Ben Stutzman

Ben Stutzman almost didn鈥檛 come to EMU. He wants to study architecture, a major that EMU doesn鈥檛 currently offer. But then he found out about EMU鈥檚 , with new facilities in the renovated , and he saw possibilities.

鈥淚 started to rethink my plans and realized that I could go to EMU for engineering and then pursue architecture after my undergrad,鈥� Stutzman says. 鈥淚鈥檓 really happy that this can work out, and I鈥檓 excited to go to a great school and be close to my family this fall.鈥�

Stutzman, a senior at Lancaster (Pa.) Mennonite High School, says he has many relatives in the Harrisonburg area, including a sister and two cousins currently at EMU.

In addition to engineering studies, Stutzman hopes to also minor or at least take some courses in with an eye toward designing environmentally friendly buildings. He plans to run cross country and track and work on the school newspaper, activities he’s participated in at LMS.

鈥淚鈥檓 also in my school鈥檚 Campus Chorale, but I鈥檓 not sure yet if I鈥檒l have enough time to be part of a choral group at EMU,鈥� Stutzman adds. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see.鈥�

He says he also enjoys 鈥渞eading, cooking, making videos, geocaching, hiking and getting a good night鈥檚 sleep.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 really grateful to receive the Yoder Scholarship,鈥� Stutzman says, 鈥渁nd I can鈥檛 wait to come to EMU next year!鈥�

Kayla Leaman

Kayla Leaman is already deeply rooted at EMU. Both her parents鈥�, who chairs the Business and Economics Department and leads the MBA program, and , a professor in the Education Department鈥攚ork at the university, and her brother, Jordan, is a current student, studying abroad in the Middle East this spring.

鈥淚 had already decided before the scholarship award to go to EMU,鈥� Kayla Leaman says. 鈥淪ince I grew up here, I have been able to see the community, and I really like how many different people of all different beliefs come together and have great discussions. You get to know all the people really well.鈥�

Leaman moved to Harrisonburg when she was 7 years old, following five years in Nairobi, Kenya, where her parents did teaching, mission and non-governmental organization work, and two years in Pittsburgh. She fell in love with the mountains of the Shenandoah Valley and is in no hurry to leave, but she says she might eventually do mission work in Africa. 鈥淚 feel a calling to go back there,鈥� she says.

She enjoys robotics and plans to major in , because 鈥淚 like the beauty of math,鈥� she says, and wants to pass on that excitement to others. Her favorite course in high school so far: calculus.

Outside the classroom, Leaman also enjoys distance running, although she has been slowed by injuries during her high school career. She plans to run cross country at EMU, and possibly track, as well. Her brother, also a cross country runner, cemented her decision to stay close to home for college.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen through his experience what EMU is like,鈥� Leaman says, 鈥渁nd it makes me excited to see what EMU is like, too.鈥�

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鈥檚 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.

鈥淲e are looking for creative students with wide-ranging interests and strong leadership abilities,鈥� 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 鈥渟trongly agreed鈥� 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.

鈥淚 like to keep a busy schedule,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut I have to be organized and make sure to leave some time for relaxing so I don鈥檛 feel overwhelmed.鈥�

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鈥檚 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 鈥淓MU has been on my radar since I was young.鈥� Her parents are both graduates 鈥� Larry 鈥�80 and Nelda Rempel Litwiller 鈥�85. 鈥淚 am excited to expand my faith and be challenged by professors,鈥� she says. 鈥淎lso, I love how EMU puts a huge focus on becoming more knowledgeable about other cultures worldwide.鈥�

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 鈥渕any new and fun things.鈥�

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鈥檚 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. 鈥淚 hope that through my classes, the cross-cultural trip and other experiences at EMU that my path will become clearer,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 am looking forward to many opportunities to experience the world.鈥�

Earlier this winter, the Royals’ 5-10 forward was named Academic All-District in District 5, which includes much of the southeastern states in the U.S.

Rheinheimer studied in Honduras in the summer of 2013 as part of EMU’s . She is on the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Academic Team and the Royals All-Academic Team, as well as Eastern Mennonite’s dean’s list.

Just as talented on the basketball court as she is in the classroom, Rheinheimer enters this week’s ODAC Tournament averaging a league-best 19.6 points along with 7.4 rebounds, 10th in the ODAC. Rheinheimer also tops the conference in field goals (183) and is second in three point percentage (42.2%), sixth in field goal percentage (51.0%), seventh in blocks (24) and 12th in steals (40).

An All-ODAC Second Team selection last spring as a part-time starter, Rheinheimer has taken off this year. She was named the USBWA National Player of the Week after scoring 29 points with 12 rebounds against Christopher Newport on Dec. 30 followed by 41 and 10 against Washington on Jan. 3. Rheinheimer has also earned ODAC Player of the Week and D3hoops.com National Team of the Week honors twice each this year.

Eastern Mennonite’s women’s basketball team, coached by in his 10th season at EMU, is the top seed in the ODAC Tournament this week, carrying a record of 21-3 overall and 15-1 in the ODAC. The women are also riding a 10-game winning streak and they look for their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Each year since 1993, two EMU students have been awarded full-ride tuition scholarships. The Yoder Scholarships are named for Carol and Paul R. Yoder Jr., 1963 graduates of EMU.

The rigorous selection process for this elite award includes a comprehensive academic and service resume, letters of recommendation, creative essays and interviews with Honors Program faculty members.

鈥淲e are looking for high-caliber creative students with wide-ranging interests and strong leadership abilities,鈥� says history professor , director of the at EMU.

During Honors Weekend last February, 56 students participated in the final interview process for the Yoder Scholarships. The group averaged 1285 on the SAT critical reading and math sections, 29.5 on the ACT, and had an average GPA of 4.1.

Outstanding academic achievement is a given for Yoder Scholars, but it doesn鈥檛 tell the whole story on the two selected for the honor this year.

Michaela Mast

Michaela Mast knows the sound of applause 鈥� on stage as young Cosette in “Les Miserables” and six years later as Maria in “The Sound of Music;” on the field after scoring the winning soccer goal in the state championship game; at the podium delivering the 2013 valedictory speech at Eastern Mennonite High School.

But it was the smile and hug of an impoverished gypsy girl that 鈥渟natched up part of my heart,鈥� Mast wrote on her blog, and compelled her to return to Romania during the fall of 2013.

Mast first met Magda one afternoon during her high school choir鈥檚 2012 trip to Europe. 鈥淎s we were leaving, she started running toward me, arms outstretched. I scooped her up into the biggest hug. Magda taught me what joy is. I heard God in her laughter, saw God in her smile, and felt God in her hugs鈥︹�� Michaela wrote in her journal.

With the support of her family and church, , Mast returned to that country 15 months later to volunteer for four months in several villages. She lived with a Romanian family, taught in a kindergarten, planned music activities and games for 50 children and, once again, hugged Magda.

As she looks back on her eight years at , music stands out.

鈥淚 grew up singing with my family and taking piano and violin lessons,鈥� Mast says. 鈥淢usic is rooted in who I am. I flourished within the music program at EMHS, participating in Touring Choir and Chamber Choir during my junior and senior years.鈥�

In the academic paper she submitted with her Yoder Scholar application, she advocated a greater integration of the visual and musical arts into school curriculum, through use of the arts to teach other subjects.

She is excited about exploring her many interests during her four years at EMU, and is thinking about combining an elementary education major with an English as a Second Language minor. She has also considered a liberal arts major before studying music therapy in grad school.

鈥淢y dream job would include working closely with children, especially children who are struggling, whether that鈥檚 due to their surroundings or family or physical disability,鈥� Mast continues. 鈥淚t would allow me to share my love and live compassionately.鈥�

Harrison Horst

Harrison Horst, the other 2014 Yoder Scholar, dreams of being a city planner in an underdeveloped country, where he鈥檇 use energy-efficient infrastructure to make the village or town as sustainable as possible.

In his last year at (Lancaster, Pa.), Horst volunteered one afternoon a week at the local Boys and Girls Club, where he helped children create musical instruments from found materials. 鈥淥ur goal is to teach [them] that music can be made everywhere from anything,鈥� says Horst.

鈥淎 lot of the ideas for original, creative instruments came from Internet sources like Pinterest and YouTube. We use lots of buckets; we鈥檙e heavy on percussion,鈥� he says.

Horst began making music at a young age, starting with saxophone lessons in the fourth grade. He鈥檚 played the sax in every band his school offers, from marching to orchestra to symphonic to jazz, and even organized a new saxophone quartet.

Horst ranked in the 99th percentile nationally on the critical reading and math sections of the SAT, and is a member of the chess team, quiz bowl team and National Honor Society. For his senior research paper he explored the themes of transcendentalism that run through the play “Death of a Salesman.”

When his busy schedule allows, Horst volunteers on Thursday nights at the local food bank and community center, serving hot meals and learning to know his less-fortunate neighbors. He is also the youth representative to the leadership board of .

鈥淚 am so excited about the global perspective that runs though EMU. And when you align that with faith and cultural values, it鈥檚 where I want to be,鈥� says Horst. He plans to major in environmental sustainability, with a possible music minor. 鈥淎nd I鈥檇 like to take as many courses as possible in peacebuilding and global service.鈥�

Perhaps one word could describe something these two Yoder Scholars have in common: 鈥渕eraki.鈥� It鈥檚 an untranslatable Greek word that Mast chose for the title of her blog, meaning 鈥渢he soul, creativity or love put into something; the essence of yourself that you put into your work.鈥�

鈥淭his program has added so much depth to my college experience,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 in awe of the relationships I鈥檝e formed across class levels within honors. These relationships have cemented my appreciation of EMU as a place filled with wonderfully curious and compassionate people.鈥�

Intellectually stimulating, supportive relationships are the foundation of the at 草莓社区. Launched in 1993 with five students, the program started its third decade in 2013 with 32 incoming students.

The huge investment EMU makes in this program was on full display during Honors Weekend, Feb. 7-8. Sixty-nine high school seniors admitted to EMU next year, with GPA and standardized test scores that qualify them for the honors scholarship of $15,000 per year for four years, traveled to the Harrisonburg (Va.) campus. Some flew from Arizona and Wisconsin; others walked from the adjacent neighborhood of Park View.

They were hosted by honors students, interacted with faculty members who lead the program, and began to envision their honors experience at EMU. 鈥淭his program lives or dies on student enthusiasm. Our students sell it to other students,鈥� said professor , PhD, who has directed the program since 2011.

Later entrance into program now possible

During the weekend, 56 honors-qualified students competed to be chosen one of two Yoder Scholars, who receive full-ride scholarships. Yoder Scholars are selected on the basis of their essay question responses, interviews, and interactions during honors weekend. The group from which the scholars were drawn averaged 1285 on their SATs (in critical reading and math), 29.5 on their ACTs, and 4.1 for their GPAs.

The honors program is no longer just a reward for high school performance. It is now a voluntary academic minor, and its acceptance thresholds are more inclusive. First- and second-year students who demonstrate high levels of academic achievement (but whose high school numbers did not qualify them for the honors scholarship) can apply for the program as well.

When she entered EMU, junior Becca Longenecker鈥檚 combined SAT scores and GPA were slightly below the qualifying threshold for an honors scholarship. Yet her strong academic performance in her first years at EMU gave her the confidence to apply for the honors minor in her sophomore year, and she was accepted.

Connecting to highly motivated students

鈥淭he program has helped me connect with faculty here and at other schools,鈥� says Longenecker. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also connected me with other students who have the same vigor and enthusiasm for education that I do. The program is always looking for students like me who are missed on the first round of selection to expand the program and improve the experience for the students in the program.鈥�

鈥淲hat I tell parents and students who are considering the value of EMU鈥檚 Honors Program,鈥� says , PhD, director of , 鈥渋s that we鈥檙e making a four-year commitment that goes beyond financial. Our goal is to educate the whole person, preparing them to lead in whatever field their gifts take them.鈥�

Junior honors student Holly Jensen appreciates the 鈥渂ackbone鈥� courses of the program. 鈥淔reshmen take a class called Ruling Ideas, which explores different disciplines and the ideas that 鈥榬ule鈥� those disciplines. From biology to mass media, we learn how people in those disciplines work with the central ideas of their fields.鈥�

Throughout the program, Jensen notes that students are exposed to classes outside their majors and to interests outside their chosen fields.

As an EMU honors student (graduating in 2005), Good has seen the program from the inside. He says, 鈥淭he Honors Program takes a holistic look at student growth that goes beyond just academics to include an education that also challenges students personally, socially, and spiritually. Students expand their worldview and learn to think critically about the world around them. This comprehensive preparation leads to great successes for our students in graduate school, their careers, and as leaders in their communities.鈥�

Applause for honors approach

A majority of honors graduates responding to a 2009 alumni survey 鈥渟trongly agreed鈥� with the following statements about the program:

鈥� The honors program helped me more consciously develop a worldview.

鈥� The courses I took within the Honors program increased my overall learning at EMU.

鈥� The honors scholarship influenced my decision to come to EMU.

鈥� The honors program deepened my quality of thought and insight as evidenced by critical thinking.

One described the first-year seminar experience as 鈥渟tepping into a buffet of ideas. It was intoxicating at times.鈥�

鈥淥ur Worldview senior seminar was very meaningful,鈥� wrote another alumnus. 鈥淣ever before and not since have I seen such true displays of humanity in an academic setting.鈥�

Forty-two percent of the survey respondents indicated an educational track beyond their undergraduate degree.

Sawin champions preparing students for a wide range of academic and vocational futures: 鈥淩ather than teaching a specific set of skills for a specific content area, our goal is to prepare students to research and write about anything. With the honors program, we鈥檙e creating a liberal arts curriculum on steroids.鈥�

In addition, two incoming students, Hannah Chappell-Dick, a senior at Bluffton High School in Bluffton, Ohio, and Charlie Good, a senior at Warwick High School in Lititz, Pa., were recognized as Yoder Scholars, the highest academic award an incoming student can receive.

“I’m very excited about the number and caliber of students who applied this year,” said Mark Sawin, program director and chair of history at EMU. 鈥淗annah and Charlie are both wonderfully creative and curious people with wide-ranging interests and strong leadership abilities. I’m grateful they’ve decided to join us as next year’s Yoder Scholars.鈥�

Honors student candidates are evaluated on academic performance, community and extra-curricular involvement, creativity, clarity of thought and leadership potential. In addition to being in the honors program, candidates submit a portfolio of their high school achievements, write a series of essays and meet with a member of the honors faculty for a one-on-one interview.

“The interaction with faculty mentors and each other in a variety of settings provides an opportunity for highly motivated scholars to develop as thinkers and wrestle with big questions,” says Sawin, a 2008-09 Fulbright Scholar at University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Chappell-Dick is an incoming biochemistry major while Good plans to major in chemistry.

The students accepted into the honors program are:

Alex Bender from Sarasota, Fla., Pine View School

Malachi Bontrager from Westbrookville, N.Y., Iowa Mennonite School

Rachel Bowman from Archbold, Ohio, Archbold High School

Kristoffer Broadley from Wichita, Kan., homeschooled

Anne Brothers from Rockville, Md., Montgomery Blair High School

Ashley Cox from Mountville, Pa., Hempfield High School

Melissa Cox from Mountville, Pa., Hempfield High School

Patty Danaher from South Chesterfield, Va., Matoaca High School

Isaac Driver from Harrisonburg, Va., Eastern Mennonite High School

Amy Feeser from Lancaster, Pa., Penn Manor High School

Rehana Franklin from Modesto, Calif., Modesto High School

Derek Harnish from Strasburg, Pa., Lampeter-Strasburg High School

Kate Harrold from Millersville, Pa., Penn Manor High School

Amanda Helfrich from Bradford, Ohio, Greenville Senior High School

Caitlin Holsapple from Harrisonburg, Va., Eastern Mennonite High School

Melissa Jantzi from Albany, Ore., Eastern Mennonite High School

Brianna Kauffman from Harleysville, Pa., Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Andrea King from Lititz Pa., Warwick High School

Kari King from Harrisonburg, Va., Harrisonburg High School

Sierra Kiser from Stuarts Draft, Va., Stuarts Draft High School

Jaclyn Kratz from Telford, Pa., Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Rachelle Kratz from Telford, Pa., Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Brooke Lacock from Paradise, Pa., Pequea Valley High School

Olivia Mast from Lancaster, Pa., Lancaster Mennonite School

Katie Miller from San Antonio, Tex., Louis D. Brandeis High School

Maddie Miller from Wellman, Ia., Iowa Mennonite School

Elise Mitchell from Elkhart, Ind., Elkhart Central High School

Erin Nafziger from Archbold, Ohio, Archbold High School

Jolee Paden from Saint Joseph, Ill., St. Joseph-Ogden High School

Aaron Patterson from Midlothian, Va., homeschooled

Alicia Poplett from Plymouth, Minn., Wayzata Senior High School

Emilie Raber from Dalton, Ohio, Central Christian High School

Jesse Reist from Lancaster, Pa., JP McCaskey High School East

Jess Rheinheimer from Manheim, Pa., Lancaster Mennonite School

John David Satriale from Gap, Pa., Lancaster Mennonite School

Lauren Sauder from Smoketown, Pa., Lancaster Mennonite School

Michelle Sauder from Linville, Va., Eastern Mennonite High School

Carissa Sherer from Joy, Pa., Donegal High School

Kritika Shrestha from Germantown, Md., Clarksburg High School

Rachel Springer from Minier, Ill., Olympia High School

Seth Stauffer from Lebanon, Pa., Northern Lebanon Jr-Sr High School

Sarah Sutter from Urbana, Ill., University Laboratory High School

Kate Swartz from Spring City, Pa., Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Sam Swartzendruber from Kalona, Ia., Iowa Mennonite School

Ryan Swartzendruber from Sellersville, Pa., Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Stephanie Toth from Lake Milton, Ohio, Cardinal Mooney High School

Aaron Wile from Telford, Pa., Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Alena Yoder from Elkhart, Ind., Bethany Christian High School

Kegan Yoder from Plaine City, Ohio, Jonathan Alder High School

Hannah Chappell-Dick, a senior at Bluffton High School in Bluffton, Ohio, and Charles Good, a senior at Warwick High School in Lititz, Pa., were recognized as Yoder Scholars, the highest academic award an incoming student can receive: a full-ride scholarship for all four years.

“I’m very excited about the number and caliber of students who applied this year,” said Mark Sawin, program director and chair of history at EMU. 鈥淗annah and Charlie are both wonderfully creative and curious people with wide-ranging interests and strong leadership abilities. I’m grateful they’ve decided to join us as next year’s Yoder Scholars.鈥�

Honors student candidates are evaluated on academic performance, community and extra-curricular involvement, creativity, clarity of thought and leadership potential. In addition to being in the honors program, candidates submit a portfolio of their high school achievements, write a series of essays and meet with a member of the honors faculty for a one-on-one interview.

“The interaction with faculty mentors and each other on in a variety of settings provides an opportunity for highly motivated scholars to develop as thinkers and wrestle with big questions,” says Sawin, a 2008-09 Fulbright Scholar at University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Chappell-Dick is an incoming biochemistry major while Good plans to major in chemistry.

A full list of honors students will be made available May 1.