The first Lavender Graduation ceremony was held at the University of Michigan in 1995. Dr. Ronni Sanlo began the tradition after being denied the opportunity to attend her children’s graduations because of her sexual orientation. Today, hundreds of colleges and universities offer Lavender Graduation ceremonies for their students. EMU held its first Lavender Graduation in 2022.

Since its inaugural ceremony, EMU’s Lavender Graduation has honored 76 graduates and alumni over the past five years, according to Jonathan Swartz, dean of students.

“This time tonight is a declaration that your identities deserve to be celebrated,” he told graduates on Friday, “not just tolerated, not just accepted, but uplifted with pride, love, and joy.”

Jamila Gaskins MA ’26 (conflict transformation), a speaker at Friday’s Lavender Graduation ceremony, receives a rainbow stole from Dr. Kathy Evans, professor of teacher education and director of the undergraduate teacher education program.

Erin Batten ’26 (left) served as emcee for the ceremony, while Sarah Peak ’26 (right) delivered the undergraduate keynote address.

Erin Batten ’26, a liberal arts graduate from Bridgewater, Virginia, performed music and served as emcee for the ceremony. Sarah Peak ’26 and Jamila Gaskins MA ’26 (conflict transformation) delivered the keynote addresses.

Peak, a psychology and peacebuilding graduate from Sanford, North Carolina, recalled her first day at EMU. During move-in, a protester stood across from the residence halls holding a sign condemning people in the LGBTQ+ community.

“At that moment, all my fears came true,” she said. “But within minutes, students and faculty assembled with flags and signs supporting the queer community on campus, and Tyler Goss pulled out the queerest playlist possible, which I’m partially convinced he curated specifically for moments like that one.”

Students passed out bottles of water, she said, not only to one another but also to the protester. “It was then that I realized I was in the right place, that I was joining a community that truly cared for everyone, and that I would be cared for, even when others did not agree with that notion.”

Gaskins, a Center for Justice and Peacebuilding alumna from Los Angeles, encouraged graduates to question society’s binary expectations and challenge existing systems.

“You are graduating into a world that will hand you a blueprint about who you should be, what success looks like, what fights are worth having, what compromises are necessary, and which possibilities are realistic,” she said.

The world needs people who can imagine what does not yet exist, she said. “It needs people who can say, ‘I know this isn’t how it’s done, but here’s how it could be done,’ and who can hold the image of a more just world clearly enough to take the next step toward it.”

A dance party was held in the Old Common Grounds space following the Lavender Graduation ceremony, continuing the celebration.

Dr. Kathy Evans (left) provides the grounding moment at the start of the ceremony. She presents a stole to a graduate (right).

Lavender Graduation also included a moment of solidarity, silence, and visibility for those who are not out nor will ever be out. Dr. Kathy Evans, professor of teacher education and director of the undergraduate teacher education program, and Dawn Neil, coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, presented the stoles to the graduates.

“These people are my friends and they’re my colleagues and they’re my inspiration,” Flowe told a roomful of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Harrisonburg residents during a dedication ceremony of the mural on March 27. “I may not know them on a personal level, but every time I see them on the wall of this building, I know that people recognize the work they’ve done.”

That feeling extends beyond just the students at EMU. Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success, said that seeing the mural fills her with joy. “Every time I see it, it makes me happy,” she told the crowd gathered for the ceremony at Suter Science Center 106.

The Inclusivity in Science Mural, completed in summer 2022, celebrates the scholarship and contributions of seven scientists whose identities as women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), and/or queer individuals have historically been underrepresented in scientific spaces. The mural’s stylized portraits depict chemist Asima Chatterjee, mathematician Gladys West, mathematician Katherine Johnson, arachnologist Lauren Esposito, astrophysicist Nergis Mavalvala, eco-philosopher Pınar Ateş Sinopoulos-Lloyd, and ADM (ret.) Rachel Levine.

“[The mural] names the contributions that have too often gone unrecognized,” said Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus in her remarks at the dedication ceremony. “And perhaps most importantly, it offers reflection and invitation to those who walk these halls every day, especially to students who may be asking quietly or aloud, ‘Is there a place for me in this field?’” 

“Together, these figures and all of those represented remind us that excellence in science has never been limited to a single identity, even if recognition has been,” Dycus added. “And we’re affirming something today about EMU itself: that we are a place that’s willing to name gaps and then do the work to address them, and that we believe representation is not symbolic alone—it is formative.”

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus presents her remarks at a dedication ceremony for the Inclusivity in Science Mural.

Dr. Rachel Levine (left) and Pınar Ateş Sinopoulos-Lloyd (right) pose next to their portraits on the mural.

Work on the mural began in spring 2022 and was funded by an Inclusive Excellence Grant made possible by the generous support of Jose Koshy ’76 and Jean Koshy-Hertzler ’79. Learn more about the process behind the project in our article from last month. Veronica Horst ’23, Asha Landes Beck ’22, Grace Harder ’23, Molly Piwonka ’23, Afton Rhodes-Lehman ’24, and Jake Myers ’22 are listed as co-leaders for various stages of the project

A dedication ceremony on March 27 honored the scientists represented on the mural, the artists who brought it to life, and “every person in the arts and sciences who has had to push a little harder against systems that were not built with them in mind,” said event organizer Dawn Neil, coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  

“This mural is both a celebration and a call to continue the work of building a truly inclusive community,” she said. “When more people belong in science, science belongs to all of us.”

The ceremony included appearances by two special guests whose portraits are on the mural. Sinopoulos-Lloyd, who participated earlier that day in the second annual Mornings with the Mayor Convocation, gave a talk and contributed to a panel conversation. Levine, the former U.S. assistant secretary for health, chatted with EMU News and also attended the event. Both Sinopoulos-Lloyd and Levine signed their names on their portraits as part of the dedication.

Pınar Ateş Sinopoulos-Lloyd gives a talk during the mural dedication ceremony at the Suter Science Center on March 27.

Dr. Rachel Levine (left) and Pınar Ateş Sinopoulos-Lloyd (right) sign their portraits on the mural.

Sinopoulos-Lloyd is an Indigiqueer wildlife tracker, writer, and guide whose work bridges Indigenous ecological knowledge, field-based science, multispecies studies, and poetic inquiry. 

In their talk, they recited poetry, shared photos of wildlife tracks—including a rattlesnake, puma, and toad—recounted their experiences following an elk herd, and discussed how their work connects science, art, and sustainability. They also spoke about the importance of representation. 

“This mural we’re honoring today is not just artwork,” Sinopoulos-Lloyd said. “It’s also a constellation. It represents scientists whose work has expanded what is possible, not only through curiosity, but through devotion, imagination, and care.”

Third-year biochemistry major Dante Flowe shares their connection to the mural during the dedication ceremony at Suter Science Center 106 on March 27.

Afton Rhodes-Lehman ’24, who helped design and paint the mural, speaks during a panel conversation (left). Veronica Horst ’23 reflects on the mural (right) while Pınar Ateş Sinopoulos-Lloyd looks on.

A panel conversation following the talk included several alumni who helped bring the mural from concept to creation. Landes Beck, Horst, Piwonka, and Rhodes-Lehman spoke about their roles in the project, the intertwined relationship of art and science, the importance of representation, and their reflections on what the mural means to them. Kishbaugh and Sinopoulos-Lloyd also joined the panel, along with Flowe, who served as a voice for current students. Senior Madelynn Hamm moderated the discussion.

Horst said they hope the mural continues to honor those who haven’t been recognized for their contributions. “One of the names on the mural that people are probably most familiar with is Katherine Johnson’s, because of her story being told through the book and film Hidden Figures,” Horst said. “I think that made us realize how much we don’t know about how women of color and people from minority identities were involved in a lot of influential work. We don’t get to hear about it because it was overshadowed.”

The program included a message from Jenny Burden, executive director of the Arts Council of the Valley, on the role that public art plays in shaping a healthy, thriving, and inclusive community. It also included remarks from Mavalvala, who is depicted on the mural but was unable to attend the ceremony. 

“I am honored to be included with so many wonderful luminaries,” Neil said, reading a statement from the astrophysicist. “Inclusivity in the sciences is critical, and I’m proud that EMU continues to strive toward this goal. Ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging strengthens our educational communities and strengthens science itself.”

Watch a video recording of the ceremony below!

This year, the ceremony recognized 17 graduates. Dr. Kathy Evans, professor of teacher education, and Dr. Heike Peckruhn, associate professor of religious studies, bestowed the graduates with rainbow stoles to wear at Commencement. Cassidy Williams ’25 and Dr. Stephanie D. Powell, assistant professor of Hebrew bible, provided keynote addresses.

The first Lavender Graduation ceremony was celebrated at the University of Michigan in 1995. Dr. Ronni Sanlo began the tradition after being denied to her own children’s graduations because of her sexual identity. Today, more than 200 colleges and universities offer Lavender Graduation ceremonies for their students. The first of these at EMU was held in 2022. 

Incoming EMU interim president Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging, delivered the welcome and EMU greeting at the ceremony. She shared the history of safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students at EMU, beginning with the off-campus Open Door support group in the mid-’90s and continuing through the creation of Safe Space—a student group pivotal in advocating for EMU’s 2015 hiring policy change that allowed the employment of openly queer faculty and staff. Since its inaugural ceremony in 2022, EMU’s Lavender Graduation has honored 65 graduates and alumni over the past four years.

“To our graduates today, you’ve done something extraordinary,” Dycus said. “You’ve navigated a world that has not always made space for you. You’ve pursued knowledge in classrooms that didn’t always reflect your identity, claiming the right for your visibility, and still you rose. You showed up, you spoke up, and you pushed forward.”

Williams, who graduated with degrees in music and education licensure (PreK-12), likened life’s journey to a road with bends and guardrails, lots of potholes, and that “one stretch of construction the county swears will be finished by summer.” She advised graduates to lean into uncertainty and embrace change with open arms, even when it might be stressful or terrifying. 

“Learn to live with your mistakes and the embarrassing moments that keep you up at night,” Williams said. “Learn to live with the people who love you and learn to live civilly with the people who don’t. Learn what helps you and learn what harms you. Learn your strengths and your weaknesses. Learn to recognize your strengths and to not back away or undermine your worth.”

Powell, who joined the EMU faculty at the start of the 2024-25 academic year, shared her journey in finding a welcoming community where she felt belonging. She had come out as a lesbian before applying to graduate school and knew she wanted to attend a seminary where she could be her authentic self and be accepted by her teachers and peers. She found that community at Chicago Theological Seminary, where she earned her master of divinity.

“Each of you is about to embark on new adventures with many new choices in front of you,” she said. “That may be continuing your education or beginning a new job, it might be choosing a new place to live, starting a family, traveling, starting a business. You have a right to choose the people, the places, and experiences that will allow you to be who you are. You have the right to live in a community where you find the freedom to live to your full self.”

The ceremony also featured a moment of solidarity, silence, and visibility for those who are not out, nor will ever be out.

Dr. Kathy Evans delivered opening remarks. Indigo Gott ’24 served as emcee. Riley Quezada ’24, Cassidy Williams ’25, Emma Nord ’25, and Canyon Penner ’25 performed music.

Annabeth Roeschley, executive director of the for LGBTQ Interests, will serve as keynote speaker for the third annual Queer History Month address. The free event will be held at Common Grounds in EMU’s University Commons at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Roeschley, who uses they/she pronouns, is a longtime activist and adviser for queer intersectional justice within and beyond Mennonite Church USA. They embody this role as a queer abolitionist theologian, spiritual care curator, and politicized chaplain who dwells at the intersections of individual and collective healing. 

Roeschley graduated from Bluffton University and holds a Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary with a concentration in LGBTQ+ Religious Studies. 

EMU alumnus Christian Parks ’16 will facilitate a conversation with Roeschley during the event.

Last year, Tori Cooper, a Black transgender woman who serves as director of community engagement for the Human Rights Campaign’s Transgender Justice Initiative, spoke at the annual keynote address.