Below is a of orientation activities and opportunities to meet professors, staff and other students at EMU.

First-year students

First-year students should check in at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, on the upper level of .

Transfer students

Transfer students should arrive for residence hall move-in at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, then check-in for orientation activities at 2:30 p.m., in Common Grounds coffeehouse, located on the lower level of .

Parents

Parent activities are scheduled through 1 p.m. Sunday, August 26. Throughout orientation you鈥檒l be meeting with your child鈥檚 professors, learning about campus, and helping to define what this time will be like for your son or daughter.

Information is also available for and .

Visit the lower level of the Seminary building between 4:30 – 6 p.m., to find out more information about EMU’s accredited degree program providing psychologically and spiritually grounded training in professional counseling.

The master of arts in counseling is a 60 semester hour accredited community counseling program. The includes study in the areas of professional identity, counseling theories, group counseling .

For more information on the MA in counseling open house and for directions contact Brenda Fairweather at 540-432-4243 or email counseling@emu.edu. (See the campus map.)

Martin鈥檚 memoir 聽provides 鈥渁n intimate perspective on academic politics and health care in Canada and the United States, which Dr. Martin is perfectly poised to critique,鈥� according to publisher 聽. 聽Alfalfa to Ivy is a 鈥渃ompelling narrative for non-specialists as well as academics and professionals,鈥� according to the publisher. The public lecture will focus on Dr. Martin鈥檚 lifetime of learning on the topic of leadership.

After one year of medical school at the University of Alberta at Edmonton, Martin journeyed to Eastern Mennonite where he studied one year, receiving a BS degree in Bible in 1959. 聽Following his time at EMU, Martin pursued advanced studies in medical science that ultimately led him to the top leadership positions at the medical schools of the University of California at San Francisco and more recently at Harvard.

鈥淭hat one year [at EMU] transformed my life spiritually, emotionally and philosophically,鈥� he said in a 2010 EMU commencement address. 鈥淚 focused on Bible studies, ethics, some New Testament Greek, and took Mennonite history, music classes and choral conducting and sang in the male touring chorus 鈥� a fantastic experience indelibly imprinted in memory.鈥�

Most importantly, he notes, he also met his wife of 51 years, Rachel Ann Wenger Martin, while at Eastern Mennonite.

Dr. Martin is a member of EMU鈥檚 , a group of prominent leaders who are supporting efforts to garner lead funding for a new .

Dr. Joseph B. Martin is the Edward R. and Anne G. Lefler Professor of Neurobiology at and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard University.

The book will be available for purchase and signing at a reception immediately following the lecture in , University Commons.

Questions can be directed to EMU President鈥檚 Office, 540-432-4100 or pres_office@emu.edu.

Sept. 11 brought devastating loss to thousands of people in New York City, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and around the world. It changed our worldview from “before 9/11” to “after 9/11.”

“As a community of learning committed to walking boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace, EMU’s thoughts on this anniversary turn聽towards peace and the ongoing hope that聽people of聽varied faiths and traditions can unite聽around common values and aspirations,” said Fred Kniss, PhD, provost of EMU. “From our various disciplinary and faith perspectives, we want to explore the important and complex questions that the events of 9/11 and afterwards pose for our global well-being.”

What have we learned? How have we changed? EMU is offering resources and events to provide a perspective on those questions.

“We hope they will help our students and community to gain a richer understanding of the challenges that face us today,” said Kniss.

贰惫别苍迟蝉听

Planned events provide opportunity for corporate and individual lament, prayer and聽processing as a local and campus community.

Saturday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m., interfaith gathering, 鈥淭urning toward Peace,鈥� Court Square, downtown Harrisonburg, co-sponsored by EMU鈥檚 Center for Interfaith Engagement and others.

The time will include reflections, poetry, singing, inspiration and artistic expression for peace.聽 This gathering welcomesChristians, Muslims, Jews, persons in faith or no faith traditions, students and families. The event is open to persons of all ages.

Sunday, Sept. 11, 1 p.m., National Moment of Remembrance. EMU will toll the bells at Lehman Auditorium for one minute.

Sunday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m., outdoor gathering for reflection, singing, prayer and thoughts on turning toward hope for reconciliation and peace in our world.聽 Sponsored by EMU Campus Ministries. Located on the hill behind the EMU Campus Center.

Sunday, Sept. 11, 8 p.m., faculty and staff forum on how their work has been shaped and changed by the events of Sept. 11. Panelists will include , PhD, director of and professor in the ; Carolyn Yoder, PhD, founder and trainer with EMU鈥檚 program; and and t from EMU’s . The forum will be held in Common Grounds Coffee House in the lower level of University Commons. The event is free and open to the public.

Resources

Publication of an e-book, “STAR, The Unfolding Story, 2001-2011, a 9/11 commemorative edition,”聽 celebrates the birth and phenomenal growth of EMU’s trauma healing and training program, STAR, which grew out of 9/11 and has gone on to touch thousands of lives all over the world.

EMU’s thoughts on this anniversary point聽towards peace and the ongoing hope that聽people of聽varied faiths and traditions can unite聽around common values and aspirations.

EMU hopes these events and resources will generate energy to聽“walk boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace,” a stated goal from .

The show, “Down to the River,” documents the Shenandoah River and tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. A reception for the artists will be held 4-6 p.m., opening day in the gallery.

Steven Johnson and are professors at EMU. Johnson is an associate professor in the Visual Arts and Communications department while Zehr is a professor in the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

Jost, a former EMU professor, teaches photography and design at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va.

The exhibit is open for viewing daily during hours when Common Grounds is open through Oct. 9, free of charge.

A preview documentary was produced by Tim Kauffman, a 2011 EMU Visual and Communication Arts (VaCA) graduate and Conrad Yutzy, a student in VaCA. Their work can be found on .

For more information contact Paulette Moore at paulette.moore@emu.edu.

About the photographers

Steven Johnson

Johnson is a featured artist in RUMINATE and Rock and Sling magazines and his work has been published in Orion, Blue Ridge Country and National Geographic Traveler. His work in this聽 聽exhibit centers on whirlpools and swimming holes.

鈥�Like our own bodies, whirlpools take the molecules of the material world and organize them into temporary dynamic systems,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淔or me, these abstract images of whirlpools on the north fork of the Shenandoah River serve as metaphors for the energy, beauty and brevity of life.鈥�

Referring to swimming holes, Johnson added, 鈥淣estled in the deep bends of rivers and creeks, the swimming holes of Virginia invite a diverse company of water lovers seeking respite from the summer heat. Some areas are crowded and public, while others are jealously guarded secrets.鈥�

“As a photographer, I鈥檓 drawn to the freedom of bodies in water and the acrobatics of bodies hurtling through space,” said Johnson. “In an age of polarization, I鈥檓 also fascinated by the short-term communities that develop in these common areas. Political and cultural differences temporarily fade in the cool waters.”

Additional photos may be viewed at

Scott Jost

Jost is a contributing photographer to The Great Valley Road of Virginia: Shenandoah Landscapes from Prehistory to the Present. Jost鈥檚 portfolio of photos, called 鈥淪ource and Confluence: Exploring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed,” looks at 45 confluences and the origins rivers and streams in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.

“The Chesapeake Bay and its watershed represent a vast historical, agricultural and ecological treasure,鈥� said Jost. 鈥淯ltimately, I hope my work can contribute to an enhanced awareness of and appreciate for our local, regional and national waterways.鈥�

This past summer, Jost followed the Susquehanna River 鈥� one of the Chesapeake Bay鈥檚 largest confluences 鈥� from its origin in Cooperstown, N.Y., to Duncannon, Pa. The 聽confluences Jost photographed along the way will be revealed in the show.

鈥淚 hope to contribute, through photography, to a greater understanding of the historical Chesapeake Bay and its watershed and to reflect on its prospects for the future,鈥� said Jost.

Additional photos may be viewed at

Howard Zehr

Zehr has appeared as photographer and author in three books published by Good Books and has had his work featured in a variety of publications and exhibits. His portfolio, called 鈥淭he Little Shenandoah,鈥� chronicles the north fork of the Shenandoah River.

鈥淭here are two fixed points in the project so far,鈥� said Zehr. 鈥淔irst, each photograph includes direct evidence of the river鈥� Second, I am using a panoramic format because it seems both appropriate and challenging.鈥�

Zehr focused on historical and contemporary interactions between the river and humans.

鈥淣umerous remnants of mill races, dams, bridges and other artifacts point to the river鈥檚 history. I am fascinated by these signs and the interplay between private and public spaces,鈥� said Zehr.

Additional photos may be viewed at .

Facilities that comprise “Phase II” of the University Commons building at EMU were dedicated in a brief, upbeat ceremony held in the renovated MainStage Theater at the south end of the Commons.

In addition to the 200-seat theater, the new or re-purposed space includes the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, the Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery, the Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., Advanced Media Lab and the expanded and upgraded Common Grounds Coffeehouse.

“We dedicate a place to remind ourselves that space shapes us,” said Nancy Heisey, EMU vice president and undergraduate academic dean. “We dedicate this space to set it apart, to name our intentions for it, to say why it is particular, and why all the care, planning and construction that went into this place were done in a specific way.”

“When we look around this space, we see something different – reused and renewed space, simple space, space for action and vision, space that is like the forms of human expression and creativity that are essential to our full humanity, the expression and creativity that a liberal arts environment is designed to grow, a space where students, faculty and guests will be invited to dig more deeply into the ideas of others, into ourselves, and into our questions and vocations with all the creative gifts God has given us,” Dr. Heisey told the attendees.

The audience joined in a litany led by Andy Dula, chair of the EMU board of trustees and Student Government Co-Presidents Michael Spory and Ben Bergey. The litany, written by Jay B. Landis, professor emeritus of English, called on God to bless the facilities with the aim “to fulfill the university mission of preparing its students with academic strength and faithful commitment to Christian discipleship, service and peacemaking.”

The ceremony closed with the singing of No. 118 in the Brethren-Mennonite Hymnal, “Praise God from whom.”

Following the program, EMU staff led tours on a rotating basis of the Phase II facilities. Each stop included reflections on how each space will benefit students and the larger community.

Dr. Gehman, 88, professor emerita of art at EMU, was present for the ceremonies and reflected on the gallery named in her honor.

“It’s good to see this space used for the arts and to meet former students who are now in leadership worldwide,” Gehman said. She noted that the gallery occupies the same space where she taught physical education classes in the old gymnasium many years ago.

The late Lee Eshleman, for whom the “black box” studio theater is named, is a 1986 art graduate of EMU. He was an acting-writer creative partner with Ted Swartz of Harrisonburg as half of the performing duo Ted & Lee for 20 years.

The new advanced media lab, named in memory of the late businessman Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., of Franconia, Pa., will allow classes to expand from nine to 15 students in each class. The computer pods are set up to encourage collaborative work and enable the critique process.

Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement, said the completion of the $2.5 million project “couldn’t have happened without the strong financial and prayer support of many alumni and friends of the university in the midst of a struggling economy.

“We now have facilities that are as vital and vibrant as the already excellent programs offered in visual arts and communication and theater,” Shisler said. “This is a quantum leap forward for students and the larger community.”

On Saturday, Mar. 26, 2011, facilities that comprise “Phase II” of the $2.5 million University Commons project will be dedicated in ceremonies starting at 1 p.m. in the renovated Mainstage Theater on ground floor of the Commons.

The brief ceremonies will include comments from EMU President Loren Swartzendruber, remarks by undergraduate academic dean Nancy Heisey and a litany written by Jay B. Landis, professor emeritus of English.

SGA co-presidents, Benjamin Bergey and Michael Spory, and EMU Board Chair, Andy Dula, will participate in the litany.

Following the program, persons will have opportunity to view the Phase II facilities:

• Mainstage Theater
• Lee Eshleman Studio Theater
• Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr. Advanced Media Lab
• enlarged Common Grounds Coffeehouse
• Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery

EMU personnel will lead tours on a rotating basis between 1:45 and 3:30 p.m. Each presentation will last around 15 minutes.

The new or upgraded facilities will serve students and the larger community in significant ways:

• The renovated Main Stage Theater seats 200, nearly 10 percent more than the previous space. Renovations immediately apparent include a more gracious entry, new seating and curtains and better audience lighting and aisle lights. With all that, the intimacy and semi-thrust form of the previous configuration has been retained. New technology includes new stage lighting and sound reinforcement equipment, a high-intensity LCD projector and automated rigging systems for accessing the over-stage equipment. The best part: completely new dressing rooms, adjacent to the stage house, including shower and changing rooms for men and women, 12 makeup stations, laundry facilities, and a “green room” lounge area.
• The relocated Studio Theater, named for the late Lee Eshleman, a 1986 EMU art graduate, provides the theater community with a flexible space for producing plays in an infinitely variable setting. Called a “black box” because of its neutral color and shape, it is capable of becoming any form of stage with the addition of portable seating risers and stage scenery. Included in the new space are a permanent balcony ready for actors, crew, or even audience members, new stage lights and lighting control system, and an all-over automated lighting grid for ease of access and maximum flexibility. Of particular advantage is the new location’s close access to Common Grounds for intermission or after-show refreshments and conversation.
• The new Margaret Martin Gehman art gallery will provide a beautifully designed and illuminated space for EMU students and guest artists to exhibit their work. The 31′ by 21′ gallery is a tribute to the energy andpassion of Dr. Margaret Martin Gehman, professor emeriti of art, who taught and inspired decades of art students at EMU.
• The new advanced media Lab, named in memory of the late Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., will allow classes to expand from nine to 15 students in each class. The computer pods are set up to encourage collaborative work and enable the critique process. The projection system – the old lab didn’t have one – offers high-definition projection for video and near color-accurate images for photography. The open space allows camera and lighting demos to be carried out within the lab along with tables to do alternative processes. Proximity to faculty offices encourages increased student faculty interaction and feedback.
• The Phase II renovation gives Common Grounds Coffeehouse an overall seating area increase, allowing students to have more space to study, meet and socialize. The most noticeable change is a sound/light booth and a stage for performances and events. The stage is made from maple floor removed from the old gymnasium. For the first time, Common Grounds has a window to the outside world, bringing in natural light from the south. Other aesthetic improvements include: exposing the original brick walls, polishing the original concrete, painting the ceiling and updating the light fixtures. Not to be overlooked is the first real climate-control system, giving the space both air conditioning and heat. The student manager’s office was moved to join the space, giving the whole student staff much more opportunity to collaborate and interact on the job.

A presentation of the spring EMU Theater production, “The Bus Stop” by Gao Xingjian, will take place 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Main Stage Theater.

Activities will conclude with a concert of original acoustic music from Denay and Friends at 9 p.m. in the Common Grounds Coffeehouse.

“The dedication of the Commons Phase II renovation project marks the fulfillment of the hopes and dreams of many people,” says Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement.

“It is gratifying to see the completion of this project after years of planning and then, more recently, a breakthrough of several large contributions that fueled it to fruition. A strong sense of collaboration among faculty, physical plant and administration also enhanced the project,” Shisler added.

For more information on the day’s events, contact Laura Daily in the advancement division office at laura.daily@emu.edu; phone: 540-432-4203.

Soon they will benefit from new state-of-the-art digital media lab space, classrooms and galleries, thanks to a recently funded renovation to EMU’s University Commons.

Associate professor Steven D. Johnson interacts with students in a digital media lab during class at EMU. EMU’s visual and communication arts major is one of the most popular programs offered. Students will soon benefit from updated state-of- the-art labs, part of a recently funded renovation of University Commons at EMU. Photo by Matt Gillis

EMU’s board of trustees, alumni and friends have "stepped up" to provide $2.41 million in cash and pledges for Phase II of the University Commons, reports Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement.

"It’s an amazing show of support in these uncertain economic times," he says.

Renovation highlights

The overall project includes renovation of the former gymnasium, built in 1957, into two upgraded theater performance spaces and classrooms. This includes a new Mainstage Theater as well as the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, named in honor of the late artist and actor who was a 1986 graduate.

The popular student coffee house, Common Grounds, will also be expanded in the renovation.

More than 40 students were involved in the spring 2010 mainstage theater production of IOLANTHE by Gilbert & Sullivan and directed by Heidi Winters Vogel, associate professor of theater. EMU’s theater department attracts students from across the university to participate in its high quality productions. Coupling updated facilities and technology to the energy of students and faculty will enhance learning and artistic possibilities at EMU. Photo by Jon Styer

New studio art gallery

A new student art gallery will be named in honor of Margaret Martin Gehman, retired art faculty member.

Gehman taught and at EMU from 1944 until her retirement in 1987. She serves regularly as a volunteer on campus and with other local organizations and has been a long-time strong financial supporter of the university.

She was the first recipient of the eponymous "EMU Philanthropist of the Year" award from the university in 2005.

Digital media labs key to program

"EMU offers an excellent digital media program taught by faculty who are experts in the field and is one of the few Christian colleges to offer a full photography major," notes , associate professor of visual and communication arts.

"With increased student demand for our programs, these upgraded labs will advance our goal of teaching students to communicate effectively, passionately and ethically in an increasingly diverse society."

The advanced media lab will be named in memory of former EMU trustee and long-time supporter, Kenneth A. Longacre.

Theater core to campus life

EMU’s theater department attracts students from across the university to participate in its high quality productions. Students are regularly recognized at the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival for their achievements.

Coupling updated facilities and technology to the energy of students and faculty will enhance learning and artistic possibilities at EMU.

"EMU theater faculty, staff and students have been making amazing art happen in primitive conditions," states Heidi Winters Vogel, theater department chair.

"I am so excited to see what we can do with performance and production spaces that are designed for theater. Watch for it!"

Upcoming theater events in renovated spaces

The first theatrical production in the renovated Main Stage Theater is scheduled for March 2011.

The Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, named in honor of the late artist and actor who was a 1986 graduate, will house key theater events that occur throughout the year like:

• Gonzo Theate, a student-run improv troupe that performs throughout the academic year
• student-directed plays like Anon(ymous)

More info

Renovations began in early May, with completion anticipated in November.

• More about the project
• Phone contact: (540) 432-4200

]]>