In our series of student and alumni stories, social media posts, and letters and emails, we invited you to become part of LovEMU history by making this year’s Giving Day the best one yet. You answered the call, giving $402,722 to scholarships and financial aid, direct support for faculty and staff, EMU’s life-changing intercultural programs, and, for the first time, resources for first-generation college students.

Together, we surpassed the $400,000 goal set by LovEMU organizers and topped our previous record of $365,512, raised last year, by an impressive 10%.

In an email sent Thursday, Nicole Litwiller ’19, MA ’20 (conflict transformation), annual giving and donor communications specialist, expressed gratitude for the generosity shown by EMU alumni, friends, and fans.

“It is inspiring and humbling to witness the outpouring of support our community showed—with every gift, text to a family member or friend, or post to social media, you helped us meet our goal. We are incredibly grateful.” she said.

Among the highlights from this year’s LovEMU Giving Day, she shared, were:

• Unlocking every challenge of the day;
• watching hundreds of alumni, employees, donors, and students connect and celebrate during the LovEMU Community Meal; and
• welcoming 19 future Royals who visited for the day into the EMU community.

“Thank you again for showing up for EMU,” Litwiller said. “Your support has a direct impact on current students, future students, and the entire EMU community.”

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni fill Yoder Arena for Wednesday morning’s LovEMU Pep Rally.

The day kicked off with the third annual LovEMU Pep Rally at Yoder Arena. The rally had it all: a dramatic entrance by Herm on an e-bike, the return of the BaZOOKa T-shirt cannon, and performances by the top three athletic teams from the previous night’s Lip-Sync Battle.

Read a recap of the pep rally below!

Sights and sounds from the University Festival: Past, present, and future Royals meet with Herm (top photo), snap pics at the LovEMU photo booth (left), and bob for apples (right) at one of the Student Union club booths.

Following the pep rally, the University Festival in the Hall of Nations connected faculty members with prospective students and featured games and activities hosted by student clubs. 

Mathematics Professor Dr. Daniel Showalter brought his two daughters and his dad, Dennis Showalter ’73, to the event. He said he gives to scholarships such as the HDH and Flora Showalter Endowed Scholarship, which supports math and computer science students, on LovEMU Giving Day.

“This is my dream job,” he said. “I want to do whatever I can to keep the atmosphere vibrant and living. I feel really grateful that I get to wake up every morning and go to a job that is meaningful and enjoyable.”

Jacob Horsley ’22, MBA ’25, associate director of undergraduate admissions, said he chooses to give back to the university on LovEMU Giving Day because he’s a “repeat Royal.”

“I’m a double-alumnus,” he said. “I have experienced the impact of this supportive community, and I want to make sure that it continues.”

The Lunch & Lawn Party returned to Thomas Plaza with a free student lunch and various lawn games.

The campus community enjoyed Wednesday’s warm weather at the Lunch & Lawn Party on Thomas Plaza, where they savored Korean beef bowls and competed in lawn games. The annual student appreciation lunch, free for all students and hosted in partnership between Pioneer College Caterers and the Campus Activities Council, included the traditional egg toss and a Bubble Bus that filled the Front Lawn with giant bubbles.

From 2 to 4 p.m., members of EMU’s MA in Counseling program led self-care activities at the Student Union.

As EMU’s night owls kept the energy alive, LovEMU participants had plenty more activities to enjoy. Back by popular demand and hosted by the Student Government Association, the Real Life Mario Kart Race returned to the University Commons indoor track, where teams of three raced on scooters, dodged obstacles, and collected prizes. Later, from 10:30 p.m. to midnight, the Art After Dark craft event featured live music from EMU’s jazz trio.

View the full schedule of events at .

Leaderboard competition

The winners of the 2026 LovEMU leaderboard competition are:

Academic program

• First place ($1,000 prize): Nursing
• Second place ($500 prize): Natural Sciences
• Third place ($250 prize): Education

Student club/org

• First place ($1,000 prize): Muslim Student Alliance (a new org formed this year!)
• Second place ($500 prize): Black Student Alliance
• Third place ($250 prize): EMU Outdoor

Athletic team

• First place ($1,000 prize): Women’s Volleyball
• Second place ($500 prize): Women’s Basketball
• Third place ($250 prize): Men’s volleyball

Challenges (all unlocked)

Donors unlocked all $170,000 in challenge match funds for the University Fund, student scholarships, intercultural programs, athletics, and, new to LovEMU this year, support for first-generation college students.

LovEMU Early Challenge: We received more than 120 gifts before the start of LovEMU Giving Day to unlock $15,000 for the University Fund.

All-day challenges

Loyal Royal Challenge: More than 250 alumni made gifts to EMU during LovEMU Giving Day to unlock $20,000 for student scholarships.

Friends of EMU Challenge: More than 175 non-alumni made gifts to unlock $15,000 for the University Fund.

Future Royal Challenge: Because 19 prospective students who were in attendance on LovEMU Giving Day paid their tuition deposit, either on the day or beforehand, we unlocked $19,000 in scholarship funds.

Timed challenges

Early Herm Gets the Worm: We received 75 gifts before 9 a.m. on Wednesday to unlock $15,000 for student scholarships.

First-Gen Match of 10: In a first-ever LovEMU challenge of its kind, a “match of the match” through a NetVUE grant, we raised $10,052 to support first-generation students.

LovEMU at First Sight: We received 110 gifts between noon and 3 p.m. to unlock a whopping $30,000 for the University Fund.

What a Wonderful World: We received 80 gifts from 5-7 p.m. to unlock $20,000 to ensure all students are able to access EMU’s impactful intercultural experiences.

The Generosity Marathon: We received 55 gifts from 7:30-9 p.m. to unlock $10,000 for EMU Athletics.

Late-night Leadership: We received 100 gifts from 9 p.m. to midnight to unlock $20,000 for the University Fund.

Thanks to everyone who donated, shared their time to celebrate their love of all things EMU, and joined in the festivities on campus! Special thanks to the 2026 LovEMU planning team: Nicole Litwiller, Arelys Martinez Fabian, Cassandra Guerrero, Kyle Dickinson, Leah Frankenfield, Luke Litwiller, Maria Longenecker, Omar Hoyos, Steve Johnson, and Tyler Goss.

Swipe through our photo album from the day below!

Herm was missing. The crowd of faculty, staff, students, and alumni at Yoder Arena for Wednesday morning’s LovEMU Pep Rally called out his name. They searched high and low. But he was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, the roar of a motorcycle engine filled the gymnasium. Moments later, everyone’s favorite friendly blue lion glided onto the hardwood on a sleek new e-bike.

The e-bike, announced Nicole Litwiller ’19, MA ’20 (conflict transformation), LovEMU organizer and pep rally emcee, was a new addition to the Sadie Hartzler Library, thanks to a generous donation from an EMU alum, the diligent work of senior Joshua Stucky, and a partnership between library staff and the Shenandoah Bicycle Company. 

Starting Monday, students can check out the bike from the library at any time and “easily bike all over campus and Harrisonburg,” she said.

Herm’s dramatic entrance was just one of many memorable moments that energized the crowd with the LovEMU Giving Day spirit. Wednesday’s pep rally had it all: a current student exclaiming her love for EMU, a future student officially declaring EMU as his school for next year, and performances by the previous night’s Lip-Sync Battle champions. 

“It’s sure to be the best Lip-Sync Battle this side of the Shenandoah,” promised fellow pep rally organizer and emcee Tyler Goss, director for student engagement and leadership development.

Scroll down to the bottom of this article to watch a video recording of the pep rally.

Students snagged free LovEMU shirts shot into the crowd by the BaZOOKa T-shirt cannon.

Throughout the event, engineering lab tech Henry Bowser and engineering student Max Fritts fired shirts into the stands using the BaZOOKa T-shirt cannon. The launcher, which debuted at last year’s pep rally, was funded by 2019 alumni Ben, an engineering graduate, and Kayla Zook.

LovEMU Giving Day is an opportunity to pause and celebrate all the incredible things about EMU, which include “our amazing academic programs, our incredible athletic teams, our impactful clubs and orgs, and our supportive community as a whole,” Litwiller said. “Part of how we can express that celebration is through generosity.”

Funds from LovEMU Giving Day benefit current and future students, faculty, and staff by making education more affordable and providing them with the facilities and resources they need to access an outstanding education. Since the first LovEMU Giving Day in 2017, the university has raised more than $2 million on annual giving days. 

Thanks to the generosity of supporters, this year’s LovEMU Giving Day was the best one yet, with over $402,000 raised, according to the .

The pep rally began with the premiere of the official LovEMU Giving Day video. It celebrates the past nine giving days and sets sights on the future, featuring voiceovers from Litwiller and Marketing and Communications Project Manager Aric Berg, along with cameos from faculty, staff, students, athletes, and alumni. The video was produced by Macson McGuigan ’17.

Watch the official hype video below!

Sophomore Ari Smart speaks about finding her fit at EMU (left) and future student Brady Crisp (right) rings the cowbell.

Ari Smart, a sophomore majoring in art education, shared her experiences at EMU. The Stafford, Virginia, native, who serves as a Royal Ambassador and plays on the field hockey and lacrosse teams, spoke about finding her place in a community that made her feel seen, supported, and valued. “This is a place that pushes me to grow,” she said. 

Through classes that challenge her to think differently, clubs that let her explore new interests, and experiences that prepare her for the future, she has gained confidence, independence, and the ability to take initiative.

“This university has given me more than an education; it has given me a sense of belonging, a community that feels like family, and experiences I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” she said.

“It has helped me grow into a stronger, more confident version of myself, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.”

The pep rally crowd also welcomed a future Royal to the EMU family. Brady Crisp, a senior from Fluvanna County High School who will join the men’s soccer team this fall, took part in the cherished tradition of ringing the cowbell to celebrate his commitment. 

Each time a prospective student who was in attendance on LovEMU Giving Day paid their tuition deposit—as Crisp did—either on the day or beforehand, the university unlocked an additional $1,000 in scholarship funds. The Future Royal Challenge, funded by two graduates from the Class of 1958, raised $19,000 in scholarships on Wednesday.

The women’s volleyball (left) and lacrosse teams (right) perform lip-sync routines at the LovEMU Pep Rally on Wednesday.

The third annual LovEMU Pep Rally showcased performances by the top three athletic teams from the previous night’s annual Lip-Sync Battle, hosted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The women’s basketball and lacrosse teams competed for second place, with the basketball team prevailing after a crowd vote. The women’s volleyball team, this year’s champions, combined lip-syncing with a carefully choreographed routine to a medley of songs from High School Musical.

Senior Admissions Counselor Lexi Fotis-Brown MA ’25 (organizational leadership) led this portion of the pep rally, hyping up the teams and the crowd. “Absolutely electric,” she told the teams. “Just remember, you’re all winners in my heart.”

Earlier in the event, emcees Litwiller and Goss exchanged some lighthearted banter. 

Goss said, “Wait, so you’re telling me we do all this to make the student experience at EMU the best it can be? What are you going to tell me next? That the generosity of donors helps fund student scholarships, improve campus facilities, and even keeps the lights on?”

“I mean, yeah, you said it,” Litwiller replied.

Watch a recording of the pep rally below!

Patience Kamau ’02, MA ’17 (conflict transformation), stands outside the post office in Nyahururu, central Kenya, and holds a letter. Its mailing address is written to her in blue ink, while the return address lists an “��ݮ����” in Harrisonburg, Virginia, of the United States. The high school senior tears open the envelope and starts reading. The letter inside tells her that 50% of her tuition costs at EMU will be covered through the university’s International Grant.

Though that moment occurred nearly three decades ago, Kamau remembers it like it was yesterday. “That was among the greatest blessings I ever received,” she said, looking back.

She didn’t know much about the U.S. at the time, and even less about EMU, but her decision to cross an ocean and enroll at the university would forever shape her future. “It was very clear it was shifting the trajectory of my life,” she said.

Soon after receiving that first letter, she received another from EMU with an invitation. “Bring an open heart,” Kamau recalled reading, “because here you will make friendships and relationships that you will maintain for the rest of your life.”

“And that was true,” she said. “Many of the relationships I formed at EMU remain meaningful in my life.”

She admitted that she didn’t choose EMU; her father chose it for her. He had heard through family friends about “a little college in Harrisonburg” with a strong pre-med program. “He started looking into it, reading and studying it, and he liked it,” Kamau said. 

She arrived as a pre-med major in the fall of 1998. Her parents were physicians, and they encouraged her to follow in their footsteps. Kamau enjoyed biology classes during her first year at EMU, but once she started taking organic chemistry her sophomore year, she realized it was not for her. She quickly switched majors to computer information systems.

She became close with the handful of other international students on campus and got involved with the university’s multicultural and international programs, where she came under the wing of Delores “Delo” Blough ’80, former director of international student and scholar services. “Delo was a huge part of making all of us feel at home,” she said.

After graduating in 2002, Kamau worked in a variety of campus departments, including the alumni and parent relations office, the seminary, and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. She eventually landed a position at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, serving as assistant to the executive director while a student at CJP. As a perk of her job, she said, she could take eight credit hours a year at no charge.

Six years ago, as chair of CJP’s 25th anniversary committee, she began producing a series of Peacebuilder podcast episodes featuring the program’s faculty and staff to capture CJP’s oral history. According to an EMU News article from 2022, the podcast had logged more than 11,500 listeners in 119 countries and territories around the globe.

Since 2022, Kamau has served as program director for . The online course and connection platform offers activists, innovators, and others seeking knowledge and tools a space to “manifest solutions for people and planet,” according to its website.

Kamau said she categorizes her life as “100% lucky.” Half of that luck comes from the random happenstances she had nothing to do with. The other 50% is the kind of serendipitous luck when “preparation meets opportunity,” she said, borrowing a favorite phrase from Oprah.

“You try and live a certain way and prepare, and then when the opportunity arises, you hopefully take advantage of it,” she said. “I couldn’t have been more grateful to have ended up at EMU as a young adult who didn’t fully know who I was or what I wanted from life.”

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

The world has changed in many ways since the inaugural LovEMU Giving Day was held on April 4, 2017.

One thing that’s remained constant through the years, says Nicole Litwiller ’19, MA ’20 (conflict transformation), is the outpouring of donor support during the annual LovEMU Giving Day.

“This year is our 10th annual giving day, so it feels very significant,” said Litwiller, annual giving and donor communication specialist. “Having been a student when LovEMU Giving Day began, I experienced the impact of donor support directly through financial aid to ensure I could access my education at EMU. Now, I work in the Advancement office and get to see the ways our donors channel their passion through giving to support EMU and our students. We’re so grateful for all of the support our community has shown and continues to show.”

Participate in our 24-hour giving day extravaganza, in which alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends come together to support and celebrate the wonderful university we all love. Help us set a new record! Last year, we raised $365,313 from 360 unique donors. With your help, we can all make a difference by contributing to scholarships and financial aid, direct support for faculty and staff, life-changing intercultural programs, and, for the first time ever, resources for first-generation college students.

LovEMU Day Events

Clockwise from top left: Adam Stoltzfus ’25 fires shirts into the crowd during last year’s giving day pep rally. | Students play lawn games on the Front Lawn during the LovEMU 2025 Lunch & Lawn Party. | Tyler Goss zooms down the indoor track during the Real Life Mario Kart Race. | The EMU community gathers inside the Hall of Nations to celebrate during an evening meal together. (Photos by Macson McGuigan ’17)

Plenty of events will be held throughout the day to demonstrate your Royal pride and unleash your LovEMU spirit. Tag #LovEMU and #ForTheRecord in your social media posts and tell your friends and family about LovEMU Giving Day.

Tuesday, March 31

Lip Sync Battle
8 p.m. | Yoder Arena
EMU’s athletic teams will compete in their annual Lip Sync Battle, hosted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Come out to cheer on your favorite teams.

Wednesday, April 1

Throughout the day, the EMU merch store, staffed by representatives from the University Outpost, will sell apparel and other EMU-branded merchandise at the Student Union from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

LovEMU participants and guests can also stop by the LovEMU hub inside the Hall of Nations at any time during the day to win prizes, collect a free T-shirt while supplies last, and make a gift in-person.

LovEMU Pep Rally
10:15 a.m. | Yoder Arena
The 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day kicks off with a high-energy pep rally to get everyone in the giving mood. Come early for the doughnuts, but stay for the performances featuring the previous night’s Lip Sync Battle winners.

Lunch & Lawn Party
Noon-1:30 p.m. | Thomas Plaza
The annual student appreciation lunch, free for all students and hosted in partnership between Pioneer College Caterers and Campus Activities Council, returns to Thomas Plaza. A description of the event promises “good food, lawn games, and prizes.”

LovEMU Community Meal
5:30-7:30 p.m. | Hall of Nations
Join the campus community for an evening of live music, food, and a celebration of all things EMU. Dinner is free and open to all students, prospective students, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, and families. .

For a full list of events, including the first-ever LovEMU dating show, the return of the popular Real Life Mario Kart Race, and an Art After Dark craft night, visit .

LovEMU Day Challenges

This year’s LovEMU Giving Day features $170,000 in challenge match funds from generous donors, split between full-day and timed challenges. It’s the most challenge match funds ever, Litwiller said.

“That’s huge,” she said. “We’re really counting on our community to come together and unlock all those funds throughout the day.”

The day also marks the return of the popular leaderboard competition. Each gift of $10 or more is eligible to cast a vote for your favorite academic program, student club or organization, and athletic team. First place in each category will receive $1,000, second place receives $500, and third place receives $250.

LovEMU Early Challenge (almost there!)

Help us reach our goal of receiving 120 gifts before LovEMU Giving Day to unlock an additional $15,000 toward the University Fund, our top fundraising priority.

All-Day Challenges

Loyal Royal Challenge
If 250 alumni make a gift to EMU before midnight, $20,000 to student scholarships will be unlocked.

Friends of EMU Challenge
If 175 non-alumni participate in LovEMU Day, $15,000 to the University Fund will be unlocked.

Future Royal Challenge
Admissions is once again teaming up with LovEMU Day. For each prospective student who attends LovEMU Day AND pays their tuition deposit (either on the day or prior to it), we’ll unlock $1,000 for EMU’s scholarship funds. This challenge is funded by two graduates from the class of 1958.

Timed Challenges

Give early and often to help us unlock over $150,000 in matching funds.

Early Herm Gets the Worm
6-9 a.m.
If we receive 75 gifts before 9 a.m., we’ll unlock $15,000 for student scholarships.

First-Gen Match of 10
10 a.m.-noon
In this first-ever challenge of its kind, each gift made for first-generation student support will be matched up to $10,000. Plus, a NetVUE grant will match the match—all money raised through the end of next year will be matched up to $60,000. These gifts provide programming for first-gen students to explore vocation in a way that celebrates discovery, fulfillment, and calling. Give from 10 a.m.-noon and have 4x the impact.

LovEMU at First Sight
Noon-3 p.m.
On our first LovEMU Giving Day, we had a total of $30,000 to unlock throughout the entire day. Now, in celebration of our 10th giving day, a generous donor has committed that much for just one massive challenge. With 110 gifts between noon and 3 p.m., we’ll unlock a whopping $30,000 for the University Fund.

What a Wonderful World
5-7 p.m.
In honor of his late wife Christine Good Shenk ’83, Ed Shenk ’83 has put forward a $20,000 match for Intercultural Programs. Christine’s cross-cultural to the Middle East during her time at EMU was incredibly transformative for her. With 80 gifts from 5-7 p.m., we will unlock $20,000 to ensure all students are able to access EMU’s impactful intercultural experiences.

The Generosity Marathon
7:30-9 p.m.
If we receive 55 gifts from 7:30-9 p.m., we’ll unlock $10,000 for EMU Athletics thanks to an alumni couple from the class of 2020 and an anonymous donor couple.

Late-night Leadership
9 p.m.-midnight
In celebration of Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus‘ first year in office, two generous donors have put up $20,000 in this final challenge of the day. One-hundred gifts from 9 p.m. to midnight will earn us a final boost for the University Fund to close out the day.

Other ways to show your EMU love

From March 25 to April 1, stop by Common Grounds Coffeehouse and enjoy “The Blue Monarch,” a naturally blue tea steeped from butterfly pea flower petals, swirled with milk, white chocolate, and blueberry, and topped with cold foam—all to celebrate Royal pride. Feeling extra regal? Add boba! Plus, with any order during that week, you can choose to add a small donation that will support student scholarships.

You can also show your EMU love by supporting a couple EMU alumni-owned businesses.

The is partnering with EMU again this year. From now through April 1, enjoy a “Blue & Gold” Blueberry Mango Trifle, and profits will support EMU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fund. This fund directly supports EMU’s commitment to creating a community of learners where everyone feels connected, accepted, valued, and respected.

In honor of LovEMU Giving Day, the owners of AJ’s Gentlemen’s Barbershop are giving back to their alma mater. When you stop by and mention LovEMU, 10% of your service will go directly to support EMU’s Intensive English Program. Book online at or stop by, and don’t forget to say LovEMU.

How to give

You can give online via credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay at , by calling 800-368-3383, written check or check by mail, donor-advised gifts, IRA gifts or establishing recurring giving. All gifts are tax-deductible. You can also stop by the LovEMU hub on April 1 and make your gift in person.

For more information about LovEMU events and challenges, visit .

Bethany Chupp ’16, MA ’18 (counseling), remembers the exact moment she learned she had landed EMU’s prized four-year, full-tuition Yoder/Webb Scholarship.

While on her way to get pizza with a friend’s family, she received a call from History Professor Mark Metzler Sawin, director of EMU’s Honors program, who told her the good news. “I got off the phone and told them, ‘I just got a full ride to college,’” recalled Chupp. “T���y were like, ‘Oh my God, well, now it’s a celebration dinner.’”

That was 13 years ago. Today, the Oregon native, equipped with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an MA in counseling from EMU, runs her own private practice, , as a licensed professional counselor. She credits EMU’s graduate counseling program with helping her reach her goals.

“I feel like what it gave me, in terms of my career, was a network and a level of trust, because the program is so respected,” Chupp said. “If you’re an EMU counseling grad, in this area, at least, it’s what gets you a job, no problem.”

Growing up in a Mennonite family, Chupp said her parents, graduates of Hesston and Goshen colleges, encouraged her to attend a Mennonite school. After visiting various colleges and universities across the U.S., she said EMU just felt different. Its students seemed the kindest, she said, and its campus the most active. The fact that she could earn a college degree without paying a dollar in tuition, thanks to EMU’s generous donors, was just the cherry on top.

“T��� Yoder/Webb scholarship ultimately sealed it,” she said. “How are you going to say no to that?”

While at EMU, Chupp studied in the Middle East for her intercultural in 2015 and attended the Y-Serve Civil Rights Tour in 2016. ​Both of those experiences wouldn’t have been possible for her without attending EMU, she said.

Another unique experience offered at EMU was the closeness she shared with her professors. “My classes were small enough that we were invited to professors’ homes for dinner, and we called them by their first names,” she said. “That’s not common. That’s something EMU does differently.”

She continues to stay in touch with many of them. “T���y’re not just former professors,” she said. “T���y’re friends who happened to be my professors.”

For the past five years, Chupp has been actively involved in the local roller derby community. She skates as Peaches n’ Scream for The Hits, a team that competes in Harrisonburg’s . She had attended games as an EMU student but was committed to theater. “Plus, my mom told me I couldn’t join until I was off her health insurance,” she joked. When COVID-19 put an end to her theater shows, she discovered a newfound passion on the roller rink.

“It’s a very inclusive and welcoming community,” said Chupp. “It’s a sport where every body type has a place and a purpose. There’s also something cathartic about it in that it’s curated aggression.”

Chupp has four siblings, including two alumni, Brandon ’19 and Caleb ’25. They aren’t the only Royals she may have helped recruit to campus. The longtime camp counselor and director spent many summers working at Drift Creek Camp, a Mennonite camp on the coast of Oregon. She said several former campers are now students at EMU. “When I came to EMU, I was the first Oregon student in years,” she said. “T���re was one senior and then me. And now, there’s a whole posse of them that are here.”

Since graduating from EMU in 2018, Chupp has regularly returned to campus to attend events, meet with friends, and provide services at the counseling center.

“It’s rewarding to still be part of the community and care about it,” she said. “I think it’s easy for alumni to dismiss it as something from when they were in college, but I continue to feel invested in EMU’s success.”

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

Leading a new school comes with its own set of challenges, says Ryan Henschel ’15, co-principal of Rocktown High School in Harrisonburg.

For one thing, there isn’t much of a blueprint to follow. There’s no history to draw on or precedent for how things are done.

“We’re still developing the identity of the school,” Henschel said. “And we’re creating all the processes from scratch to keep things running smoothly.”

It’s a formidable task, but also one filled with excitement and possibility.

“T���re aren’t as many ‘bad habits’ we need to undo before setting the tone for the school,” he said. “In that way, it’s a little easier.”

Henschel, in his first year as co-principal, leads over 1,000 students and several EMU alumni on staff at Rocktown, which opened in fall 2024. He previously served as its assistant principal.

Originally from New Market, Henschel said the opportunity to play collegiate baseball drew him to EMU. During his four seasons on the team, the starting pitcher contributed to the Royals’ growing success. In 2015, as a team captain, he helped lead the squad to its first ODAC Tournament appearance since 2002, when former MLB catcher Erik Kratz ’02 was on the team.

Baseball helped him grow, teaching him to manage his time, strengthen his organizational skills, and develop as a leader. It may have been what brought him to campus, but the school’s close-knit community and small class sizes led him to stay.

“I got to know my professors,” he said. “As an athlete, I knew almost all the other athletes and coaches and would interact with them. That played a huge role in making me feel like I truly belong to this community.”

EMU is a Division III school, which means it cannot offer athletic scholarships. For Henschel, receiving the President’s Scholarship, which is awarded to EMU students who maintain a 3.0 GPA, made a real difference.

“That scholarship helped reduce the financial burden both during and after my time at EMU,” he said.

Henschel chose to major in math education because he “really enjoyed math.” “You don’t hear that a lot,” he said. “It came easier to me than other subjects, and I could help other students learn math, which gave me great joy.”

After graduating from EMU in 2015, Henschel taught math at Harrisonburg High School until 2023, when he was named assistant principal. When Rocktown opened the following year, he joined the new school as assistant principal. Henschel, who has a master’s degree in education from James Madison University, became Rocktown’s co-principal last fall.

His wife, Rachel Richard Henschel ’15, a teacher at Spotswood Elementary School, is also an alum of EMU’s acclaimed teacher education program. He credits the program, and its immediate, hands-on experiences, with preparing teachers to serve and lead in the classroom.

During his first semester at EMU, an introduction to teaching course placed him in a local school practicum, where he could quickly translate course theory into practice.

“That’s when I fell in love with teaching,” he said.

Since welcoming students two years ago, Rocktown has earned awards across a wide range of categories, from its innovative architecture and cardiac arrest preparedness to its music education and athletics programs.

“As a new school,” said Henschel, “we’re currently in the exciting phase of cultivating a culture of excellence and seeing our students reach their full potential.”

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

Olga Salama, a first-year biology major who came to the United States through refugee status, grew up in Burundi, East Africa, where access to affordable health care and education was limited. It’s also where she found her passion and her purpose.

The oldest of eight, she would take her younger siblings to school. One day, as she dropped off the tuition check to pay for their education, she overheard a mother asking whether her child, who had an intellectual disability, could attend classes with the other children.

“She was denied,” said Salama. “She was told, ‘This would be too difficult, and that little child would be too difficult for the other children.’”

“I kind of understood it,” she added, noting that many cultures in Africa lack support for people with disabilities. “But, for me, that didn’t seem right.”

That experience drew her to study biology and fuels her passion for improving the lives of others. Her dream is to graduate from medical school and become a pediatrician.

“When you save the life of a child, you save the future,” she said. “When a child is surrounded by good people, that affects how they grow.”

Salama and her family arrived in the U.S. in July 2021. At the time, she spoke Swahili and French, but no English. She quickly became a rising star at Charlottesville High School, where she received the top scholarship from the . Past recipients include Sandra Day O’Connor and Caroline Kennedy. 

As a high school senior, the first-generation college student applied to nine schools. Each of them could guide her toward her passion. Each of them offered her substantial financial aid packages. But, only one of those schools had values that matched her own, and that was EMU. 

“My high school counselors told me I could go anywhere I wanted, because I had all this scholarship support,” said Salama. “I had to choose where I saw myself thriving and being impacted the most, and EMU was that place for me.”

She said she was struck by how friendly and communicative everyone was at EMU, from her admissions counselor and professors to fellow students. “People are there for you,” she said. “Everyone’s welcoming.”

She added that, out of the nine schools she applied to, only one of them, EMU, sent her a card for her birthday. “That was different, and was beyond my expectations,” Salama said. “That’s the sign of a place that cares.”

Like the 100% of undergraduate students at EMU who receive financial aid, Salama is the recipient of numerous awards, including the highly selective President’s Scholarship. 

“I knew I wanted to go to college and, although I had a little bit of fear about the financial part, I trusted that God was going to provide,” said Salama. “If he called me to do this, then he will provide.”

Your support helps students like Olga pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

EMU senior Arelys Martinez Fabian caught the teaching bug in first grade.

The Winchester, Virginia, native would print out math worksheets for her younger sister to complete. With a classroom of stuffed animals gathered around them, she taught her sister, then a preschooler, basic lessons in addition and subtraction.

“I’ve switched my career choices through the years, but I’ve always gone back to teaching,” said Martinez Fabian, an education and Spanish double major. “When you make a connection with students and they realize, Oh, I can do it, that’s my favorite part of teaching.”

A first-generation college student, Martinez Fabian fully immersed herself in EMU’s rich campus life. She served as co-president of the Student Government Association and as orientation leader, worked as product manager for Common Grounds Coffeehouse, and held leadership roles with the Latinx Student Alliance (LSA). She also served as a student representative on the Interim President Search Committee last spring.

It’s difficult for her to imagine herself anywhere other than EMU. That wasn’t always the case.

During her senior year at Millbrook High School, she learned she had been accepted to the University of Virginia. It was her lifelong dream school. The decision should’ve been an easy one.

“At the same time,” she said, “I kept seeing signs that I should attend EMU.”

High school teachers would unexpectedly mention EMU in passing. A coworker at her day care job shared how impactful her own EMU education had been. 

When EMU accepted her and offered its highest academic award, the four-year, full-tuition Yoder/Webb Scholarship, the choice became clear: she would become a Royal.

Looking back, she’s sure she made the right call.

She believes EMU’s nationally accredited teacher education program has prepared her well for the realities of the classroom. As a student teacher at Bluestone Elementary in Harrisonburg, she spent the first week of school last fall observing how teachers set rules and expectations. 

EMU’s small class sizes have allowed her to form close relationships with professors. She said she has always felt comfortable seeking their guidance and support. 

During recent immigration-related crackdowns across the country, Martinez Fabian, who has relatives from Latin America, said professors regularly checked in with her to make sure she felt safe.

“I knew I could go to them for support,” she said. “I was able to get through some tough times because of them.”

Your support helps students like Arelys pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

Take a look around campus and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone involved in leading as many clubs and organizations as Leah Frankenfield.

In addition to leadership roles as a Royal Ambassador and with EMU’s Royals RISE program, the senior psychology major has either led or helped start a number of athletic and advocacy clubs on campus: Badminton Club, Bike Club, Pickleball Club, Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA), and University Women’s Empowerment Network (UWEN). This year, she is representing her peers as Student Government Association co-president.

The Northern California native grew up hearing about the magic of EMU from her father, James Frankenfield ’81, who shared stories of sledding down the EMU Hill on trays from the caf. “He mostly talked about the impact EMU had on his career,” said Leah Frankenfield. “He attributes a lot of his success in life to his chemistry degree from here.”

So when the time came for her to pick a college, EMU was at the top of her list. The university’s tight-knit campus and her family connections—her cousins Greta Schrag ’24 and Libbie Derstine ’25 are recent graduates—added to the charm. She was also intrigued by the Mennonite culture her father grew up in. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the surrounding city of Harrisonburg, with its plentiful shops and restaurants, had so much to experience. 

“EMU offers a great balance between being in a rich cultural environment near a large university and having a small campus that provides personalized attention and opportunities to build deep relationships with professors,” said Leah Frankenfield. 

She said many of her professors allow students to take mental health days. “T���y want you to develop holistically as a person first,” she said. “T���y want you to prioritize your health, show up in the best way you can, and communicate with them. I’ve really appreciated that flexibility.”

Another benefit of attending EMU is the wealth of scholarships and financial aid available to students. Leah Frankenfield is the recipient of a merit scholarship and the Pioneer College Caterers Scholarship, and is among the 100% of undergraduate students at EMU who receive financial aid.

These days, the college senior is busy applying to grad school, with an eye toward counseling or school psychology. Whichever path she takes, she feels a twinge of bittersweetness. 

“I have these mixed feelings,” she said. “Sometimes I think, I can’t wait for the next step. At the same time, EMU has challenged me to grow and explore my identity and explore how I make a new environment feel comfortable. I like the way I’ve made EMU my home and, at the end of the day, it’s going to be sad to leave.”

Your support helps students like Leah pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

Before the clock struck midnight on Wednesday, April 2, LovEMU Giving Day 2025 achieved its fairy tale ending. A generous outpouring of support from all members of the EMU community—alumni, faculty, staff, current and prospective students, and friends—resulted in a record-breaking $365,313 raised by 360 unique donors during the ninth annual 24-hour extravaganza. That total surpasses the $350,000 goal set by LovEMU organizers and tops the $340,512 raised last year (a 7% increase).

Donors gave early and often, unlocking all $152,000 in challenge match funds for The University Fund, student scholarships, athletics, facilities, and intercultural programs. Because 27 prospective students who registered to attend LovEMU Giving Day paid their tuition deposits, donors matched their commitment by contributing $27,000 to student scholarships. That’s nearly double the $15,000 raised for that challenge last year!

The 2025 LovEMU leaderboard competition was fierce and fun-spirited, with the winners named below:

Academic program

• First place ($1,000 prize): Education
• Second place ($500 prize): Music
• Third place ($250 prize): Business and leadership

Student club/organization

• First place ($1,000 prize): SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Council)
• Second place ($500 prize): Earthkeepers
• Third place ($250 prize): Pickleball

Athletic team

• First place ($1,000 prize): Men’s soccer
• Second place ($500 prize): Women’s volleyball
• Third place ($250 prize): Men’s volleyball

Nicole Litwiller, annual giving and donor communication specialist, said that a highlight for her was seeing the whole EMU community come together to embrace their pride for EMU. “T���re were some moments yesterday where we were coming down to the wire to meet a challenge goal, but without fail, our community came through and helped us unlock every single one,” she said on Thursday. “Thanks to their support, LovEMU Giving Day was a huge success, and we once again beat last year’s record. I’m so grateful for everyone who showed their support.”

Seeing septuple?!

Four EMU staff members and two students channeled their inner Royal-in-chief for the first-ever President Huxman Lookalike Contest, held on Monday at the Student Union to kick off LovEMU week. The contest honored Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, who has served as EMU’s ninth president since 2017 and is retiring this summer. Tyler Goss, director for student engagement and leadership development, hosted the competition, dispensing with his typical flair for the dramatic. 

The half-dozen contestants modeled their blue outfits and recited their favorite Huxmanisms. Determined by raucous cheers and selected by Huxman herself as judge, the winners of the contest, students Mana Acosta and Leah Beachy—the latter of whom wore a bald cap to portray Huxman’s husband—received an offer of a fancy dinner at the president’s residence along with three guests of their choice. 

“It’s spooky because I use all of those words,” Huxman said, before announcing her pick. “You all used the correct enunciation and everything.” Following the contest, Litwiller announced that the LovEMU Early Challenge had been reached, which unlocked $10,000 toward The University Fund. for more photos from the event.

Getting hyped at Herm’s House

By the time the second annual LovEMU pep rally began at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, donors had already contributed more than $54,000, or about 15%, of the day’s fundraising goal. The event, held at Yoder Arena, started with a screening of the official 2025 LovEMU video (watch it on YouTube) featuring some of your favorite campus characters. Frequent emcee duo Braydon Hoover and Deanna Reed hyped up the crowd. 

Naomi Kratzer, an EMU junior from Goshen, Indiana, majoring in music performance and history, shared her own “Royal Tale” leading her to EMU. For more Royal Tales of students and alumni, check out our series of stories here. As she decided on which college to attend, the Mennonite-raised Kratzer “began scouring” the five Mennonite colleges in the U.S. It was EMU’s campus that kept catching her eye, she said, due to its beautiful setting in the Shenandoah Valley, its strong music education program and its vibrant student community. “My story didn’t begin when I stepped onto campus, and neither did any of yours,” she said. “But EMU is known to be a home for all of our vastly diverse, chaotic, and ever-complicating plots. EMU’s resilience is in the people.”

In a dazzling display of musical mastery, Goss, dressed as the jester from the LovEMU video, pulled a flute from his sleeve and performed the theme to Sesame Street. He was joined by Makinto, an internationally known musician and seminary student, who challenged him to a flute battle. Watch the pep rally . The flute duel begins at the 38-minute mark.

Royal Tales 

A Royal Tales panel discussion hosted by Litwiller with EMU professors Dr. Gaurav Pathania, Dr. Benjamin Bergey ’11, and Dr. Kate Clark ’07 detailed their journeys to EMU, the challenges they’ve overcome, what excites them about the future, and what they love most about EMU. 

Clark graduated from EMU’s nursing program, worked as a nurse for several years, and then returned to teach at EMU in 2011. She gave a shout-out to the Graham Central Station ice cream flavor at the cafeteria—“I’ve never had it anywhere else,” she said—and added that her job at EMU is the best one she’s ever had. “I love that EMU has a point of view,” she said. “It’s a place that has a perspective. … I love working for a place that I feel stands for something, and it’s something that’s important and needed in the world.”

Sanctuary of sound

Music Professor Ben Guerrero led tours of the new recording studio inside the Astral Hall on top of the EMU hill. Built in 1955, the former lecture hall was once home to the astronomy society. Starting in the early ’70s, it housed the WEMC radio station run by EMU students and staff. Today, it’s a state-of-the-art studio with two isolation rooms and a Dolby Atmos control room for mixing immersive or 3D audio. The space can be used to produce full records, music videos, and informational and instructional videos. The studio officially opens this fall.

A ‘wheelie’ good time

EMU students, staff, and anyone daring enough to brave a gauntlet of projectiles and obstacles took part in a race around the indoor track, modeled after the popular Mario Kart video game. Participants rode scooters, dodging yoga balls and dodgeballs, grabbing prize boxes, and weaving their way around aerobics step platforms and hurdles laid out on the track, to fight their way to the finish line. Meanwhile, on the Yoder Arena courts down below, the EMU men’s volleyball team won a five-set thriller over Randolph College.

Challenges (all unlocked)

LovEMU Early Challenge: We received more than 120 gifts (100 gifts were needed) before the start of LovEMU Giving Day to unlock $10,000 for scholarships. 

Loyal Royal Challenge: EMU alumni gave more than 270 gifts (250 gifts were needed) over the 24-hour span to unlock $20,000 for The University Fund.

Friends of EMU Challenge: Non-alumni deepened their commitment to EMU by contributing more than 180 gifts (175 gifts were needed) throughout the day and unlocking $15,000 for scholarships.

Future Royal Challenge: Because 27 prospective students who registered to attend LovEMU Giving Day paid their tuition deposit, we unlocked $27,000 for scholarships.

Rise ’N Shine, Royals! Challenge: Early birds helped reach this challenge by giving more than 80 gifts (75 gifts were needed) between 6 and 9 a.m. to unlock $15,000 for The University Fund. 

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fund Our Facilities Challenge: Donors demonstrated giant-sized generosity by awarding at least 65 gifts (65 gifts were needed) between 10 a.m. and noon to unlock $15,000 for improvements to campus facilities.

What Magnificent Academics We Have! Challenge: To celebrate EMU’s stellar smarts, supporters donated at least 100 gifts (100 gifts were needed) between noon and 3 p.m. to unlock $15,000 for scholarships.

A Whole New World Challenge: EMU’s intercultural programs have impacted thousands of graduates, offering opportunities to engage in different cultures, build global relationships and experience a new perspective. Donors contributed 80 gifts (75 gifts were needed) between 5 and 7 p.m. to unlock $10,000 for intercultural programs. 

The Mighty Royals Challenge: Athletics supporters showed their love for EMU sports by pitching in 60 gifts (50 gifts were needed) between 7:30 and 9 p.m. to unlock $10,000 for EMU Athletics.

Before The Clock Struck Midnight Challenge: EMU’s night owls stayed up late to celebrate, giving at least 100 gifts (100 gifts were needed) between 9 p.m. and midnight to unlock $15,000 for The University Fund.

Thanks to everyone who donated, shared of their time to celebrate their love of all things EMU, and joined in the festivities on campus! Special thanks to the LovEMU planning team: Arelys Martinez Fabian, Genesis Figueroa, Tyler Goss, Cassie Guerrero, Liz Heilbronner, Steven Johnson, Luke Litwiller, Nicole Litwiller, and Arushi Sachan; Advancement; Marketing & Communications; Student Government Association; Undergraduate Admissions & Royal Ambassadors; EMU Facilities; Pioneer College Caterers; Athletics; Information Technology; and all other faculty, staff and students who provided support by creating decorations or volunteered their time to help with events.

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

If you’ve ever attended an art show at the gallery that bears her name, stepped foot inside one of the many buildings on campus she helped to finance, or benefited from her endowed scholarship fund, you’re likely already familiar with the name Dr. Margaret Martin Gehman. What you might be less familiar with is the legacy of generosity and selfless service she embodied at EMU.

Gehman received a two-year degree from EMU in 1942 and joined the faculty in 1944; she taught art and physical education classes until her retirement in 1987. The professor emerita taught a watercolor class through 1996 and served regularly as a volunteer on campus and with other local organizations. She was among EMU’s most generous philanthropists, establishing an endowed scholarship fund as well as program endowments for athletics, the humanities and special buildings on campus. In 2005, she became the first recipient of the eponymous “EMU Philanthropist of the Year” award. She died in August 2019 at age 97. 

Nearly a half-dozen years after her passing, Gehman’s boundless generosity continues to flourish and shape lives at EMU. A recent $400,000 gift from her estate will bolster the Margaret Martin Gehman Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provides general financial aid to undergraduate students. The gift increases the endowment fund to more than $500,000, which is expected to generate about $25,000 in direct financial aid each year.

While the fund previously supported one to two students each year, it can now benefit at least five students annually, according to Kirk Shisler ’81, vice president for advancement. “Margaret loved EMU,” he said. “She maintained continuous loyalty and appreciation for the students, alumni, many of whom remained her friends, and the strong sense of community she enjoyed throughout her many years here.”

As one example of her love for EMU, look no further than the time she donated her beloved 1967 blue Volkswagen Beetle in 2010 to support student scholarships. “EMU has been good to me over the years, and this is another way I can express my appreciation,” she said in an article about the donation. 

Shisler said the latest gift from her estate brings Gehman’s total contributions to EMU to just under $2 million. “This puts an exclamation point on her many decades of support,” he said.

In a 2012 article celebrating her 90th birthday, Gehman credited her parents with “teaching the value of a lifestyle of simplicity and generosity.” “T��� Lord … has blessed me with the ability to serve and the opportunity to share with others,” she said. 

For much of her time at EMU, Gehman was affectionately known as “Speedy.” A student had bestowed the nickname on her, not only for introducing the game of speedball to campus but also for her energy, athleticism, and swiftness. “She would dash across campus between classes,” Shisler said. “She would practically run from one place to another.”

Even in her later years, the speed never left her. Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president for enrollment and long-time advancement professional at EMU, recalled watching his wife, Heidi Hoover ’10, escort Gehman to the art gallery named after her. “I will never forget the image of ‘Speedy,’ at 94 years old, taking off down the hallway with my dear spouse having to jog to keep up with her, walker and all,” he said. Hoover, like many on EMU’s advancement team, also knew the longtime donor by another name: “Saint Margaret.”

One lesser-known detail about “Saint Margaret” was her love for lending money to people and organizations in need. On several occasions, Shisler said, she loaned money to EMU to fund certain projects. “Sometimes, she would turn around and forgive those loans, converting them into outright gifts,” he added.

The fleet-footed philanthropist was a trailblazer, ahead of her time in many ways, as her nickname might suggest. She was among the first women graduates of EMU to earn a doctorate, receiving hers in art education from George Peabody College (now part of Vanderbilt University) in 1962. Despite her plain dress and head covering, which may have given the impression that she was conservative, Gehman “flowed with the times,” according to Shisler. “Her loyalty to EMU never wavered, even through periods of change and various cultural headwinds,” he said.

EMU President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman described Gehman as “one of the most interesting, engaging, joyful and nonconformist” donors she’s ever met. Former EMU President Dr. Loren Swartzendruber has praised Gehman for her “incredible gift for frugality and generosity, a rare blend that you do not typically find.”

It was this frugality that became the stuff of legend. Today, those on campus who were lucky enough to have known her exchange stories of her resourcefulness and ingenuity with a smile. Gehman was known to keep her lights off as long as possible to save electricity. In the evenings, as the sunlight faded, passersby could spot her silhouette in the window, leaning toward the nearest streetlamp with a book in her hands to get enough light for reading. 

Your generous support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. Together, we can help write EMU’s next chapter. 

Read the previous profiles in our A Royal Tale series:

Participate in our ninth annual 24-hour giving day extravaganza, in which alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends come together to support and celebrate the wonderful university we all love. Help us set a new record! Last year, we raised $340,512 from donors giving 873 gifts. With your help, we can all make a difference by contributing to even more scholarships and financial aid packages, direct faculty and staff support, campus facility enhancements, and more. Join thousands of other supporters for LovEMU 2025 and help us write EMU’s next chapter.

Plenty of events are scheduled to show off your Royal pride and unleash your LovEMU spirit. Follow our coverage throughout the day on our EMU . Tag #EMUGivingDay and #ARoyalTale in your social media posts and tell your friends and family about LovEMU Giving Day.

Get into the spirit

LovEMU week launches Monday with President Huxman Lookalike Day. Dig out those blue blazers and spectacular specs for a one-of-a-kind contest held at 10:45 a.m. in the Student Union and judged by the prez herself. The winner will receive a free coffee or dinner date with the president and three friends, along with three votes toward the leaderboard competition. Don’t forget to grab a free LovEMU T-shirt from the Student Union starting at 10:15 a.m., while supplies last.

On Tuesday, EMU gets enchanted. Bust out your favorite costume for Fairy Tale Day. A contest held at the dining hall during lunch will pick the most popular LovEMU-themed nail art, with the top two designs winning Common Grounds gift cards. Submit a photo by March 30 to enter the competition. This contest has been canceled.

When the big day arrives on Wednesday, it’s time to break out the blue and don your choicest EMU apparel for Royal Pride Day.

Giving Day events

LovEMU Day kicks off bright and early with a sunrise viewing from the EMU hill at 6:30 a.m. with coffee and tea provided. Then, head over to Yoder Arena for a pep rally at 10:15 a.m. to enjoy some doughnuts and get fired up. The event, which will be , will feature a screening of the official LovEMU hype video and a special appearance from the BaZOOKa T-shirt cannon designed by engineering student Adam Stoltzfus with help from lab tech Henry Bowser. The project was funded by 2019 alumni Ben and Kayla Zook (hence the name). “I was told that it can fire a shirt up to 55 feet, so it’s got some power,” said Nicole Litwiller, annual giving and donor communication specialist. If at least 150 people attend the pep rally, she said, Herm’s jester will perform a hidden talent.

A Royal Tales panel discussion with faculty members Dr. Gaurav Pathania, Dr. Kate Clark, and Dr. Benjamin Bergey at 11:45 a.m. in the Student Union will feature the professors sharing the journeys that led them to EMU. A lunch and lawn party held at Thomas Plaza at noon will include a free meal for students and lawn games. Get ready for a fierce showdown of egg toss! Throughout the day, at two separate sessions (2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.), Music Professor Ben Guerrero will lead tours of the new state-of-the-art recording studio located in the astral hall atop the EMU hill.

From 2 to 4 p.m. at the Student Union, EMU librarians will share their favorite children’s books. This story time event is open to community members and their children.

The day includes a wide slate of sports games, from a softball doubleheader against Bridgewater (3 p.m. and 5 p.m.), a lacrosse game against Ferrum (4 p.m.), and a men’s volleyball match against Randolph (7 p.m.).

In the evening, enjoy a shared meal and live music with the EMU community at the LovEMU Cookout at 5:30 p.m. in the University Commons parking lot. Dinner is free and open to all students, prospective students, faculty/staff, alumni, donors, and families. RSVP .

The night continues with a real-life Mario Kart race at 8 p.m. Participants in teams of three will ride floor scooters—the kind you might remember from elementary school—around the indoor track, dodging obstacles and grabbing mystery blocks full of prizes.

Wind down LovEMU Day with a screening of The Princess Bride and a craft-your-own-potion station at 10 p.m. in the Student Union.

Challenges

This year’s LovEMU Giving Day features over $150,000 in challenge match funds from generous donors, split between full-day and timed challenges.

For the first time in LovEMU history, a new challenge is dedicated to raising funds for EMU’s intercultural programs. If donors contribute 75 gifts between 5 and 7 p.m., $10,000 will be unlocked for intercultural programs at EMU.

The day also marks the return of the popular leaderboard competition. Each gift of $10 or more is eligible to cast a vote for your favorite academic program, student club/organization and athletic team. First place in each category will receive $1,000, second place receives $500, and third place receives $250.

“Part of what is meaningful about LovEMU Giving Day is that it’s all about participation,” Litwiller said. “A gift of any size helps us reach our goals and unlock significant amounts of money.”

LovEMU Early Challenge (almost there!)

Help us reach our goal of receiving 100 gifts before LovEMU Giving Day to unlock an additional $10,000 toward the University Fund, our No. 1 student-centric fundraising priority.

Full-day challenges

Loyal Royal Challenge: If 250 alumni give gifts to EMU, $20,000 is unlocked to the University Fund. 

Friends of EMU Challenge: If 175 non-alumni participate in LovEMU Giving Day, $15,000 will be unlocked for student scholarships.

Future Royal Challenge: For each prospective student who attends LovEMU Giving Day and pays their tuition deposit, $1,000 is donated for scholarship funds.

Timed challenges

Rise ’n Shine, Royals!
Time: 6–9 a.m.
Goal: 75 gifts
Unlocks: $15,000 to the University Fund

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fund our Facilities
Time: 10 a.m.–noon
Goal: 65 gifts
Unlocks: $15,000 for improvements to campus facilities

What Magnificent Academics We Have!
Time: Noon-3 p.m.
Goal: 100 gifts
Unlocks: $15,000 for student scholarships

A Whole New World
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Goal: 75 gifts
Unlocks: $10,000 for intercultural programs

The Mighty Royals
Time: 7:30-9 p.m.
Goal: 50 gifts
Unlocks: $10,000 for EMU athletics

Before the Clock Strikes Midnight
Time: 9 p.m.-Midnight
Goal: 100 gifts
Unlocks: $15,000 to the University Fund

Other ways to show your EMU love

There’s no shortage of ways to show your love for all things EMU. Take in EMU Theatre’s spring musical production of “On the Breath of God: The Life of Maria Skobtsova,” which runs from March 29-30 and April 3-5 at the MainStage Theater. Or, enjoy the senior art show opening at 4 p.m. on April 4 at the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery.

You can also show your EMU love by supporting a couple EMU alum-owned businesses in the ‘Burg. From now through April 2, enjoy a special Royal Blue-berry Cheesecake at . Profits will support EMU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fund, which directly supports our commitment to creating a community of learners where everyone feels connected, accepted, valued and respected.

From March 26 through April 2, take your custom framing needs to and mention the LovEMU partnership to ensure 10% of your sale goes to support the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

Plus, check out a teaser below for our full LovEMU Giving Day video, which releases on Monday, March 31. 

How to give

You can give online via credit card at , by calling 800-368-3383, written check or check by mail, donor-advised gifts, IRA gifts or establishing recurring giving. All gifts are tax-deductible.

Thank you to the many departments and people who have lent their valuable skills and insights to LovEMU Giving Day. For more information about LovEMU events and challenges, visit

It’s hard for Kaleb Wyse ’10 to pinpoint exactly what drew him to EMU.

Sure, he had plenty of connections to the school. His older sister and two cousins are EMU alumni. A graduate of Iowa Mennonite School (now known as Hillcrest Academy), Wyse said he isn’t sure what it was about EMU. He just liked it more than the other schools he visited.

“I felt more at home at EMU than anywhere else,” he said. “It just felt like the right campus for me.”

Wyse is a content creator who shares delicious recipes, gardening tips and home decor projects with more than a million followers through his , and various social media platforms, all under the “Wyse Guide” handle. The culinary entrepreneur majored in accounting and business administration at EMU, where he gained the skills needed to build his brand. It’s also where he met his business partner and college friend, Joel Kratzer ’10.

The two EMU grads launched their passion project in 2012. They maintained the website as a “night and weekend thing,” Wyse said, while working regular jobs. About seven years into their venture, the site started to take off. Wyse said he shifted in his approach, serving up more authentic content with stories personal to his life. “T���n, when COVID hit,” he added, “everyone was looking for help with gardening, preserving, and cooking or baking at home.” Wyse and Kratzer began working on the site full time in 2021. Today, their multimedia company is comprised of a team of six.

Wyse said his time at EMU taught him to be more open and honest with others. He pointed to his intercultural program, a three-week voyage to Greece and Turkey led by Dr. Linford Stutzman ’84, SEM ’90, as a pivotal experience. Packed into close quarters with other students he didn’t know well, Wyse found that the trip offered him a crash course in forming new connections. “That trip is something I think about a lot,” he said. 

EMU’s small class sizes helped him thrive as a student. “I could walk into my professors’ offices and talk to them instead of a teaching assistant,” Wyse said. “I’m someone who needs personal connection and having that at EMU really supported me. I didn’t feel like I was just a number.”

Another advantage of attending EMU is the wealth of scholarships accessible to students. Wyse received the Horace & Elizabeth Longacre Business Scholarship during his four years as a Royal. He remembers writing thank-you cards to the Longacre family and feeling a personal connection to them through the award, which is named in honor of a philanthropic couple from southeastern Pennsylvania who were staunch supporters of EMU. 

“T��� fact that someone believed it was important for me to receive a good education at a great school was both impactful and humbling,” Wyse said.

His debut cookbook, There’s Always Room at the Table, is now a New York Times’ bestseller. The collection of recipes and stories was published by HarperCollins earlier this month and is at online retailers.

This isn’t the first time EMU News has covered his exploits. Wyse landed a one-day cohosting gig on The Rachael Ray Show in 2015. In 2021, he returned to campus during EMU Homecoming and Family Weekend as a featured speaker for the annual TenTalks event.

Wyse is the fourth generation to live on his family farm in southeast Iowa. Follow him at:

Your generous support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. Together, we can help write EMU’s next chapter. 

Read the previous profiles in our A Royal Tale series:

Trina Trotter Nussbaum ’00, MA ’17 will never forget the first time she saw the view from the Campus Center balcony. Standing on the balcony overlooking the Front Lawn and gazing east toward the Blue Ridge Mountains, the then-first-year student recalled telling a friend: “I don’t know what I’m going to study, but I know this is where I need to be. This is my place.”

“All it took was one look at those mountains, and they seemed to tell me, ‘You belong here,’” Trotter Nussbaum said. 

That was nearly 30 years ago. Today, Trotter Nussbaum is the new director of the Center for Interfaith Engagement, a position she’s held since Jan. 1. She still feels that same sense of belonging at EMU and works to ensure others on campus feel it too. Through her role at CIE, she celebrates and supports students, faculty and staff from a wide range of faith traditions and backgrounds. 

It was a long road that led her to EMU. After graduating from high school in North Lima, Ohio, Trotter Nussbaum, who was raised Mennonite, moved to Pittsburgh and completed travel agency school. She gradually learned that it wasn’t the career for her. Returning home to Ohio, she ran into a childhood friend about to graduate from EMU who told her, “You should give EMU a try.” It was just the push she needed. 

Trotter Nussbaum arrived on campus in the fall of 1995 as a 22-year-old first-year English major. She was older than the others in her Northlawn dorm, but she saw that as a blessing. “It helped me settle down and figure out what I wanted to do.”

That turned out to be theater. Trotter Nussbaum credits EMU’s theater program with recognizing her strengths as a performer and teaching her invaluable listening and improv skills. During the second semester of her junior year, she added a psychology major. Though it delayed her graduation by another year, she said it ended up being one of the best decisions she ever made. “I might not be acting or counseling right now, but I draw on those skills every day,” Trotter Nussbaum said. She graduated in 2000 with bachelor’s degrees in theater and psychology, along with a minor in justice, peace and conflict studies. She said professors in her justice and theology classes challenged her faith with love and grace, ultimately strengthening it and shaping her into the faith-based peacebuilder she is today.

After a decade spent working at nonprofits and government agencies, Trotter Nussbaum returned to EMU in 2013 as associate director of CIE. Fueled by formative experiences during a 1998 intercultural trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland, she began pursuing a master’s degree in conflict transformation at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. It took her another five years to complete the two-year program while working at CIE and raising two children. In 2017, she earned her MA.

Ever the lifelong learner, Trotter Nussbaum continues to seek out further education. She’s working toward earning MDiv equivalency so that she can enroll in the new Doctor of Ministry program at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. 

Over the years, she’s received numerous scholarships as a student. She said those scholarships, as well as EMU’s tuition benefits for employees, made it possible for her to continue her studies. “I love how EMU encourages its employees to take the classes they want to take,” she said. “T��� ability to take classes, even one at a time, for almost free is such a blessing.”

Trotter Nussbaum and her husband, Brian Nussbaum ’00, live in Harrisonburg with their two children. Her brother, Travis Trotter ’99, serves as university registrar for EMU.

Your generous support helps students like Trotter Nussbaum pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. Together, we can help write EMU’s next chapter.

Read the previous profiles in our A Royal Tale series: