EMU celebrates the University’s 100th Annual Commencement. 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee offers the Commencement address.  Graduate perspectives are shared by Harrison Horst, Keyri Lopez-Godoy, James Ramsey, Sabrina Burress, and Sarah Bailey.

�ճ���� award honors the efforts of graduating students who have made outstanding contributions to the university, community or society.

The Blue cord represents strength of conviction that one person can help to create a better institution; also willingness and openness to share thoughts and ideas.

The Gold cord represents love of spirit and yearning towards creating a better university community in which all can take part; gold is also the color of achievement.

This years recipients of the Cords of Distinction are:

• Emily Clatterbuck
• Drew Diaz
• Harrison Horst
• Maleke Jones
• Keyri Lopez-Godoy
• Michaela Mast
• Katrina Poplett
• Caleb Schrock-Hurst
• Brittany Williams
• Elizabeth Witmer

Join President Susan Schultz Huxman to launch Spring semester in this centennial year with the address – What do you do with a Centennial?

There is a time of prayerful sending for the  at the close of the service.

Homily: John and Michel Sharp (Parents of Michael J. Sharp ’05)

Worship Leaders: Jane Hoober Peifer, ’75, MDV ’98, Les Horning ’86, MDV ’98

Music Leader: Benjamin Bergey ’11

Honoree Introductions: Louise Otto Hostetter ’79, Jeff Shank ’94

Honorees: Chester ’36 and Sara Jane ’42 Wenger, Michael J. Sharp ’05, Anxo Perez ’97, Leonard Dow ’87, Laura Rosenberger ’03

Musicians: Maria Zehr ’11, David Berry, Katie Derstine ’05, Matthew Hunsberger ’02, Heidi King ’12, Fred Flores-Cano ’19

Gospel Choir: Ariel Barbosa ’20, Tae Dews ’19, Oksana Kittrell ’17, Justin Odom ’20, Bruce Cypress ’19, Matej Gligorevic ’19, Earnest Kiah ’21

Willow Run: Jon Bishop ’17, Perry Blosser ’18, Joseph Harder ’20

Changing the World One Life at a Time

John and Michele Sharp share reflections from the life and calling of their son, , recipient of the 2017 EMU Life Service Award, who was killed while on a United Nations peacemaking mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo in March 2017.

John Sharp teaches history and Bible at Hesston College, is a storyteller and author. Among his books: A School on the Prairie: A Centennial History of Hesston College, My Calling to Fulfill: the Orie O. Miller Story, and most recently, The Bible as Story: An Introduction to Biblical Literature, written with colleagues Marion Bontrager and Michele Hershberger.

Michele Miller Sharp launched her career in education and moved into the medical field working in family practice for the past 20 years as a physician assistant and more recently in clinic administration as Director of Clinical Excellence.

John and Michele are the parents of two married daughters, Erin & Laura and a son, MJ, as well as the grandparents of three absolutely adorable grandchildren, Oscar, Lucy & Jesse.

Centennial Opening Convocation with Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman: A special time of gathering the entire campus to launch the new academic year. President Huxman launches our  with the theme: Serving. Leading. Transforming.