The 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:

• Hannah Chappell-Dick, major in Biology, minors in Kinesiology & Exercise Science, Honors, and Coaching; Bluffton, Ohio
• Bethany Chupp, major in Psychology and minors in Honors and Art; Canby, Oregon
• Anahely Cruz, major in Liberal Arts, (Elementary Education Licensure, PreK-6, Special Education Licensure K-12) and minor in Psychology; Harrisonburg, Virginia
• Tyler Eshleman, major in Peacebuilding and Development and minor in Sociology; Harrisonburg, Virginia
• Teresa Garcia-bautista, majors in History, Spanish Language & Hispanic Studies and minor in Pre-Law and Political Studies; Timberville, Virginia
• Brooke Lacock, major in Psychology, minors in Honors and Art; Paradise, Pennsylvania
• Carissa Luginbill, major in Social Work and minors in Art and Psychology; Bluffton, Ohio
• Jolee Paden, major in Business Administration, Recreation Leadership & Sports Promotion; St. Joseph, Illinois
• Philip Watson, major in Psychology and minor in Photography; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Londen Wheeler, majors in Digital Media, Photography, and Communication; Faber, Virginia

Seven students participated in the 2016  on March 18. Each speaker applied the Christian peace position to a contemporary concern in a short speech (8-10 min):

2:55–Stephanie Toth, Humans and Technology, senior Digital Media major from Youngstown OH

13:28–Elisabeth Wilder, Make Change, Not Hashtags, junior Social Work major from Hesston, KS

23.05–Grantley Showalter, The Wisdom of Doubt, junior Peacebuilding and Development major from Waynesboro PA

33:03–Katrina Poplett, To Be at War with Yourself, sophomore Peacebuilding and Development major from Plymouth MN

45:28–Hannah Chappell-Dick, Beyond Fight or Flight: Becoming Mennonite in an Adrenaline-Soaked World, senior Biology major from Bluffton OH

54:28–Ethan Herman, Active Pacifism and Using Conflict as a Tool, first-year Biochemisty and Computer Science major from Waynesboro VA

104:27–Bethany Chupp, Standing at the Door, senior Psychology major from Canby, OR

Hear students speaking for peace  in preparation for the C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest to be held Friday, March 18 at 7 p.m.

Hannah Chappell-Dick – “Beyond Fight or Flight: Becoming Mennonite in an Adrenaline-soaked World”

Bethany Chupp – “Standing at the Door”

Ethan Herman – “Active Pacifism and Using Conflict as a Tool”

Katrina Poplett – “To be at war with yourself.”

Grantley Showalter – “The Wisdom of Doubt”

Stephanie Toth – “Humans and Technology”

Elisabeth Wilder – “Make Change, Not Hashtags”

Ayhubrhan Yifru – “Fighting Injustice with Love”