Aram Hanson, an instructor in EMU’s Intensive English Program (IEP), along with two of his IEP students, Dastan and Shalaw, conquered the competition at the 11th annual International Food Festival on Friday with their crowd-favorite Kurdish dishes.

Competing in the event for his first time, Hanson and his students prepared dolma (vegetables stuffed with rice and meat), biryani (a rice and meat dish), chicken tikka (kebabs), kuba (a type of dumpling), baklava and a variety of salads.  

“It seems that many people here liked our food, and that feels great,” he said after being announced as a winner. He added that two of his family members recently opened a restaurant called Kabob Corner on South Main Street in Harrisonburg, and that if people enjoyed his Kurdish food, they would love the dishes served at the restaurant.

For placing first in the individuals and small groups category, the trio of Kurdish cooks received $200 in winnings. A second-place prize of $125 was awarded to Mohammad Khatiri and Ayam Ali, the cheesecake-baking duo behind , and a $100 third-place prize was given to EMU staff member Amina Anwar for her Pakistani biryani.

Since winning last year’s competition, Khatiri and Ali have been busy selling their cheesecakes through their Instagram page and said they plan to launch a website soon. Khatiri said he was glad to be back at the festival for another year. “We enjoy the whole vibe and like trying different types of food from different countries,” he said. 

The winners of the student clubs category received a trophy and bragging rights. They are:

• First place: Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA)
• Second place:  Black Student Alliance (BSA)
• Third place: Latinx Student Alliance (LSA)

A total of 14 teams participated in the competition. Those sampling the dishes could vote on their favorite cuisines through a QR code at each table. 

Hosted by the International Students Organization (ISO) and the International Food Festival Committee, the festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year, drawing hundreds of students, faculty, staff and other EMU community members to celebrate the rich flavors and traditions from around the world. Micah Shristi, director of international student services, said that more than 275 people participated in this year’s festival. He said that students represent 55 countries at EMU.

“A diversity of cultures, languages, and belief systems make our EMU community stronger,” he said. “Nothing demonstrates this more deliciously than the International Food Festival.”

The turnout at the event included many students from other schools who were on campus for the Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship conference held over the weekend. One of those students, Abby Chappell Deckert of Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, said she enjoyed the Pakistani biryani. “I think it’s great,” she said while in line for cheesecake. “It’s really interesting to try food from other countries, and I think it’s a great alternative to the usual everyday ‘caf’ food that people get.” She said that Bethel has a very diverse student body, but does not have a similar food festival of its own.

While EMU juniors Maria Longenecker and Leah Beachy may have disagreed on which cuisine earned their vote (Longenecker favored the Ethiopian dishes while her friend preferred the Kurdish ones), they said they both considered the festival among their favorite events of the year. “That Kurdish food was bussin, and you can quote me on that,” said Beachy, using a slang term for “delicious.”

In between bites, Harrisonburg Vice Mayor Dany Fleming and his wife, Carol, campus visit coordinator for the admissions office, took in the upbeat music and positive energy at the Student Union. “I love the diversity that EMU brings and has brought historically to Harrisonburg,” the vice mayor said. “Part of the reason we are such an international city is specifically and directly because of EMU and the work they do around the world.”

Friday’s event, held at the Orie O. Miller Hall of Nations inside University Commons, also included an announcement from ISO student leaders about seven new flags added to the hall: Belarus, Dominican Republic, Malawi, Mongolia, Puerto Rico, Sudan, and Uruguay. 

“These flags are more than fabric,” said EMU senior and ISO co-President Fiker Yigzaw. “They are a testament to the stories, journeys, and contributions of our international students, past and present. Let’s continue to learn from one another, share in the joy of cultural exchange, and embrace the vibrant global spirit that unites us all.”

Take a look at more photos from the 2025 International Food Festival in our Flickr gallery below:

The club sold 140 tickets for the event and also received money in the form of donations or from the silent auction that featured student and local art.

The event featured student performers of musical performances and spoken word, including Talibah Aquil, Meechy Jay, Willow Run, and Earnest Kiah and Bruce Cypress.

Diana J. Fox, an anthropology professor at Bridgewater State University in New Jersey, delivered the evening’s keynote presentation. She highlighted many of the roots of patriarchal society and how gender norms and the oppression of women is continuing. Her speech captured many of the ways in which women are oppressed around the world.

The club recognized seniors Emmanuel Kampanga, Phoebe Coffie and Angel Mallard with the ISO Excellency Award.

Though this was the club’s fifth gala, junior Paul Kayembe, ISO president, focused on the gala as a key event. The previous gala “was more of a surprise than anything,” Kayembe said.

Throughout the school year, ISO hosted different events like Professor Storytime, with each one promoting the gala. This allowed the club to sell tickets and gauge how well they were selling. Even in the final weeks leading up to the gala, the club had to change their strategies for selling the tickets.

The year-long process came with plenty of challenges and doubts. “Financially, we faced a lot of hurdles,” Kayembe said.

Though the club received some funding from the Student Government Association, the majority of the money had to come from sponsors. The club worked hard to go around the community, finding sponsors and donors for the gala.

Kayembe hopes that more students will come to future ISO events.

“This event was the first step [towards] earning their respect so that next year when we come with this same … ambition, they will not hesitate,” Kayembe said.

Junior Gillian Zehr, who was in charge of much of the gala’s designing, was pleased with how smoothly the event ran from start to finish. “There were [no hiccups], which with any event is crazy,” Zehr said. After much stressful planning and preparation, the event wrapped up in a communal fashion. “We had a solid group of people stay around and help us clean up that weren’t a part of ISO or LSA,” Zehr said. “They were just there to help.”

In a wrap-up email, Kayembe recognized the group efforts of the following members: Adila Wahdat, Akiel Baker, Alejandra Rivera, Ally Coffey, Aminata Wallet Mohamed, Angel Mallard, Arnold Muthoki, Ayu Yifru, Brandon Higgins, Cela Hoefle, Daniel Moyer, Emmanuel Kampanga, Gillian Zehr, Heyrin Cha, Kevin Sungu, Linda Ouedraogo, Louisa Quaynor, Mario Hernandez, Maya Dula, Michaela Nichols, Phoebe Coffie, Rebecca Yugga, Skyy Brinkley, Winifred Gray-Johnson, Xhorxhina Ndoka and Micah Shristi (advisor).

Portions of this article originally appeared in April 19, 2018, issue of The Weather Vane.

Read more about ISO’s annual event below.

For fight against Ebola, international students plan fundraising event with Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee

Nobel winner headlines EMU international student fundraiser for Ebola orphans

“Do you know what an EMU graduate should do and be when you are no longer on campus? Think of these things, of the people who invested in you because they believed in you. … Be a very good ambassador,” he urged.

Though many of students present perhaps thought beyond impending finals to consider their future plans, the ceremony was the first time to put on their caps and gowns and the first inkling of the celebration to come. During the May 6 Commencement ceremony, each of the 33 will wear a special stole, some made of kente cloth but others of satin fabric symbolizing heritage, roots within one or various communities, or citizenship.

The formal presentation of these stoles was the reason for coming together with family, friends and EMU community members Wednesday evening. The ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of graduating students of color as well as the history of black students’ and students of color achievements at the university, according to Multicultural Student Services Director Celeste Thomas, who started the first event three years ago.

See this event and more in EMU’s Centennial timeline chronicling diversity on campus. 

“We gather here to honor these students, some of whom are the first of their family to graduate from college, and to wish them well on their way forward,” she said in her welcome. “For those of you who our graduates have selected to place the kente cloth over their shoulders, it is a great honor.”

Micah Shristi, co-director of international student services and advisor to the International Student Organization, and M. Esther Showalter, advisor to the Latino Student Alliance, also co-hosted the event.

Read 2017 and 2016 coverage of the event. 

Donning of the Kente participants

Eyman Alasbali is graduating with an MA in education. Her father Ghorm Alasbali and mother Abdiah Alshebri presented the stole. She plans to take additional classes for a second concentration and then return to help her community.

Genesis Arzu  is earning a degree in digital media and plans to work in a production studio as an audio engineer after graduation. Celeste Thomas presented her stole.

Natasha Bridge is earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science. Carolyn Stauffer, professor of sociology, presented her with the stole. Natasha plans to move home and work and further her education within the next two years.

Jazmine Carter is earning a degree in business administration, and plans to attend graduate school in the spring. Andrew Miller, instructor of business, awarded her stole.

Kevin A. Clark is earning a degree in Spanish with a minor in digital communications. Ann Hershberger, professor of nursing, presented his stole.

Phoebe Coffie is earning a degree in biology. After graduation, she plans to take the MCAT and continue shadowing and volunteering, working towards medical school entrance. Micah Shristi presented her stole.

Kimberly Daley is graduating with a degree in nursing. Marcia Pusey, instructor of nursing, presented her stole. Her goal is to be debt-free within three years.

Drew Diaz is earning a degree in biology and hopes to go to medical school His mother Pam Diaz awarded the stole.

Fabiana Espinal has earned a degree in liberal arts with a concentration in psychology. Amanda Styer and Alex Bowdey presented the stole. She plans to continue to be involved in the community following an internship related to Title IX and restorative justice. She’ll begin graduate school in fall 2019.

Denait Gebretsadik is graduating with a degree in history and a minor in Spanish. She was gifted her stole by Asmait Asgedom, and it was presented by Mark Sawin, professor of history.

Jerome Jones will graduate with a degree in psychology and plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical psychology. Melody Pannell, professor of sociology, presented his stole.

Maleke Jones is graduating with a degree in psychology and a minor in pre-law. He will work for a local police department. Melody Pannell presented his stole.

Emmanuel Kampanga earned a degree in biology. He plans to take the MCAT and apply for medical schools in Europe. Micah Shristi presented his stole.

Keyri Lopez-Godoy is graduating with a degree in liberal arts and a PK-6 elementary education endorsement. She will teach in Harrisonburg City Schools. Mentor Louise Gallagher presented the stole.

Luisa Angel Mallard is earning a degree in communication. She hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree in restorative justice. Micah Shristi presented her stole.

Lania McKoy will graduate with a nursing degree and a psychology minor. Lamarr Wharwood presented her with the stole. She plans to celebrate this accomplishment, study for the nursing boards and then be the best nurse she can be.

Mandy Miller is earning a degree in social work. She wants to work for two years and then return for a master’s degree. Celeste Thomas awarded her stole.

Kennedy Okerere is earning a degree in business administration. He will return to his home state of Maryland to begin a new job. Celeste Thomas awarded his stole.

Louisa Quaynor will graduate with a degree in nursing. She plans to work in a Richmond area hospital after graduation. Marcia Pusey, instructor of nursing, awarded her stole.

Alejandra Tejada Rivera is earning a degree in nursing. She plans to work at Sentara RMH in the orthopedic unit. David Diaz presented her stole.

Da’Jahnea Robinson is earning a degree in psychology. Charisse Robinson presented her with the stole. Da’Jahnea will continue her studies in the MA in Counseling program at EMU.

Chang Tan will graduate with an MA in biomedicine. He will work as a research coordinator while preparing medical school applications. Fellow graduate student Thi Do Lovo presented his stole.

Delight Tigoe has earned a degree in accounting. Her stole was presented by Lana Miller, undergraduate campus pastor, and Andrew Miller, instructor of business.

Myneshia Walker is graduating with a degree in sociology and a minor in coaching. She plans to return to her hometown and begin working. Sandy Brownscombe, professor of physical education, presented her stole.

Adila Wahdat graduates with a degree in digital media. She will work in marketing for a jewelry company. Friend Asmait Asgedom gifted her stole and was also the presenter.

Aminata Wallet-Mohamed will graduate with a degree in sociology. Friend Asmait Asgedom gifted her stole and was also the presenter.

Alexa Weeks is earning a degree in liberal arts with licensure in elementary education. Lana Miller, undergraduate campus pastor, presented her stole. Alexa hopes to find a teaching job in the Harrisonburg area after graduation.

Brittany Williams is earning a degree in recreation, leadership and sport studies. She plans to stay in Harrisonburg and work. Celeste Thomas presented her stole.

Isaiah Harris-Winn is earning a degree in business administration. Carolyn Stauffer, professor of sociology, presented his stole. He hopes to continue his basketball career overseas.

Elizabeth Witmer is earning a degree in social work with minors in sociology and Spanish. Ann Hershberger, professor of nursing, presented her stole. She will complete her social work practicum this summer in Guatemala and then continue working as office coordinator in the Intensive English Program.

Ryan Yates is earning an MA in interdisciplinary studies and a graduate certificate in transformative leadership. He plans to move to Los Angeles, California, and “create opportunities that will live on well beyond my years.” Deanna Durham, professor of social work, and Celeste Thomas presented him with his stole.

Brianna Zook is earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science with minors in business and coaching. Kevin Griffin, head women’s basketball coach, presented her with the stole. She plans to attend graduate school.

]]> /now/news/2017/take-back-night-events-honor-survivors-highlight-diverse-impacts-sexual-violence/ Wed, 15 Nov 2017 13:54:39 +0000 /now/news/?p=35740 With #metoo and #Ibelieveyou circulating through social media feeds and news digest, ��ݮ����’s Nov. 7-10 Take Back the Night events focused the community on reflection, listening and frank discussion about issues of sexual violence.

“We wanted to hear from outside the community how this abuse is manifested and focus on how we can better support those who have experienced it,” said senior Katrina Poplett, who led the program planning for the second year with senior Jonatan Moser.

In an opening event focused on intersectionality, representatives from five campus groups — , , the , and — were invited to share “stories and statistics about how sexual assault affected that particular group,” said Poplett. “It was powerful and personal and we closed with a candlelight vigil as a witnessing.”

Take Back the Night events are held around the United States and around the world. The first march was held in 1975, commemorating the death of a woman who was murdered while walking home alone at night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

EMU has a long tradition of hosting the annual program, according to Professor , faculty advisor to the planning committee.

TBTN hosted several events around campus, including a Wednesday chapel that involved the sharing of stories and poetry.

About 20 participants in the men’s only discussion Wednesday evening “took the conversation to some really interesting and insightful places,” said Ben Rush, who co-hosted “How Language Legitimizes: A Second Look At What We Don’t Think of Twice” with Joseph Mumaw and Professor . “Our goals were to take the conversation away from the overt, symptomatic examples of sexual violence and point it towards a conversation about the way subtle things embedded in language and societal assumptions contribute to the problem.” [Read Ben’s blog post about leading this event.]

A Thursday coffee house offered space for expressive arts and sharing, followed by a session with the playback theater group. Sarah Regan and Ana Hunter-Nickels, representatives of the Social Work is People (SWIP) club, were the hosts.

Friday’s chapel, planned by the EMU , featured Sabrina Dorman, executive director of the local anti-sex trafficking organization New Creation, Inc. This was followed by a walk-through reflective exhibit in the Campus Center.

Eastern Mennonite Seminary also hosted a Tuesday chapel service to engage with themes of #metoo and #Ibelieve you.

This year’s TBTN events were in the second year of a three-year thematic exploration of sexual violence at the micro-, meso- and macro levels, Poplett and Moser said.

“Last year was on a micro-level, focused on what was going on here on campus, opening a space for conversations we didn’t see happening,” Poplett said. “This year, we’re focusing on the meso-level, with organizations and community, and next year will be more of a macro level.”

The leaders situated TBTN events within recent national events, including U.S. Department of Education decisions related to Title IX.

At all events, counseling center staff were present and other resources were available if students or community members were in need of support.

Many of the students involved in Take Back the Night come to their volunteer work by learning more about systemic issues in their coursework and through clubs such as SWIP or . Moser, a double major in and , says a combination of factors raised his awareness as a first-year student.

“I had just learned about sexual violence and sexism and how often it happened and I was really horrified by that,” Moser said. “Getting involved in Take Back the Night has been a way to give back.”

Poplett, a major who is also in the accelerated MA in restorative justice program, began attending TBTN events her first year on campus and became a leader as a sophomore.

“I think a lot of my passion lies in giving voice to people whose stories aren’t normally told,” she said.

She never imagined that desire, born from hours of long-distance conversation with her family members and prayer over the sufferings of fellow West Africans, would draw the attention and support of her university community – and a .

“Doing something was a way to help myself with the panic of thinking about my family and what was going on in my country,” said the economics major. “I didn’t want to be silent and just sit on my hands, so I started thinking, ‘What could I do?’”

That question quickly became “What can we do?” when shared with fellow members of EMU’s International Students Organization (ISO).

To Gray-Johnson’s surprise and delight, Liberian peace activist and ( ’07) learned of the fledging movement and enthusiastically agreed to headline a fundraising dinner.

at EMU’s Martin Chapel, with a seating capacity of 140, are $100, with $80 of that a tax-deductible donation to the Africa. Dinner guests will receive preferred seating at a public lecture later in the evening in Lehman Auditorium.

A freewill offering will be taken at the lecture, with an for those who cannot attend.

To those who need most help

“She is helping us raise awareness, but at the same time, we know that this money will go through her organization to those who most need it, [to] the children who have lost family members or been displaced,” Gray-Johnson said.

Gbowee, who received the 2011 prize for her work in ending Liberia’s civil war, says that her country’s decade-long peace is threatened by Ebola.

“We must face another enemy from within,” she wrote in an in Britain. “…Ebola is resurrecting old traumas from those who survived the war.”

Since the Ebola outbreak began, Gbowee’s Monrovia-based non-profit has contributed to community-based, . Donations from the EMU fundraiser will be shared by the foundation with two Liberian organizations founded by alumnae of : GSA Rock Hill Community Women in Monrovia, founded by Vaiba Flomo (CJP Grad. Cert. ’13), and Messengers of Peace, a youth outreach group founded by Gwendolyn Myers (CJP Grad. Cert. ’14).

Gbowee’s visit kicks off a series of events planned by the in March, including a color run, chapel talk, and movie showing.

Kaltuma Noorow, ISO co-president, said students have rallied to the cause, inspired first by Gray-Johnson’s willingness to share how she and her family were personally affected by the outbreak.

Wilfred Gray-Johnson, Winifred’s father, is executive director of the . During the outbreak, he and his team travelled frequently to rural areas “to work on an early warning and response mechanism to ensure that Ebola did not lead to a national conflict,” Gray-Johnson said. “While in the field, he could see firsthand what was happening.”

At later ISO planning meetings, student organizers discussed “the stigma of disease and who was getting aid and who wasn’t, which led to conversations about who needed help who wasn’t getting it. We’ve all seen that in our own countries,” said Noorow, a junior peacebuilding and development major from Kenya.

Learning from action-taking

In a year of new leadership and transition for the organization, Noorow credits ISO members for pulling together and taking on “huge responsibilities” to work on this fundraiser and the upcoming events in March, she said, adding that she’s reluctant for any one member of the group to be singled out for attention. “We’ve all learned a great deal from the process. It’s important that every member be recognized for their thoughts and all the time spent deliberating and processing.”

Her own involvement with the project has been empowering, Noorow added. “In class, we learn a lot of theory and just reading about it is great, but I’m interested in change. I’m a doer. This event shows that we students can actually do something given the platform. We never imagined it to reach this magnitude. It’s been a lot of work and a lot of time, but we’re all really excited.”

From following appropriate fundraising protocols to parsing out the correct wording for public relations releases and invitations, Gray-Johnson says the hands-on experience has taught her about the complex realities of fundraising for international causes.

“I’ve learned a lot about professionalism and credibility, about raising money for a cause,” she said. “It is important to me that the money raised here go through the right channels… [It helps that] Leymah’s giving us her credibility and that of her foundation.”

Noorow and Gray-Johnson both met Gbowee briefly when she came to campus in spring 2014 to deliver the commencement speech and celebrate the graduation of her son, Joshua Mensah, a major. They are looking forward to learning more about Gbowee’s peacebuilding experiences from the woman herself.

Gray-Johnson hopes to share the experience with her 14-year-old sister, Addy, who moved from Liberia this summer to Maryland, where she’s living with an aunt.

The International Food Festival was part of the International Education Week and occurred for the student body and community to experience foods and cultures from different parts of the world.

It was a way for people to get to know each other. Multicultural Services and International Student Organization (ISO) planned the whole event. Susannah Lepley, ISO advisor along with Junior Kaltuma Hassan, Senior Sun Ju Lee, and the members of ISO, helped plan for this event during the summer. And with the help of undergrad students, CJP, faculty, and other community members the event was made possible.

“The ISO members and Multicultural and International Student Services’ work study students planned the dinner venue at Thomas Plaza. We had over 30 tables arranged in a circular manner, and all the cooks put their foods on their tables and decorated them,” co-president Lee said.

“Students and community members were given five tickets, and were charged an extra dollar if they wanted to buy more tickets. The tickets were used to vote for whichever meal that they like the most.

“Wendy Yu won the competition. There were also a lot of games, which were organized by Priyanka, Nana and Mary, and just the overall atmosphere was great.” This event was a way to celebrate different nationalities and educate about other cultures, but it also created connections throughout the community and students.

“There were almost 300 people that attended the event. We really enjoyed it. The atmosphere was relaxed, and people really engaged with each other well,” Hassan said.

A big part of the dinner was the celebration of different cultures connecting, and the diversity. “We like to engage people who feel excluded from the community at EMU, and through peace building, we know that community building is key and that engaging all varieties of people is important,” Lee said.

It was an informal setting for people to get to know each other through activities. “The games and dancing wer every exciting, people had good laughs, and the little children got involved,” Hassan said. The international dinner is continuing to grow each year.

“This year was the second time the event occured, and proved to be better attended. I think the student body, community members, and faculty have been very supportive. We feel blessed,” Lee said.

Sarina Hartman, Circulation Manager