°Őłó±đĚý 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

Hear portions of student-prepared speeches highlighting many forms of peace as part of the . The full speeches can be heard TONIGHT – Friday, March 23 at 7 p.m. in Martin Chapel (Seminary Building).

Fabiana Espinal
“Creativity as a Path to Healing and Connection”

Kyle Good
“Food as Conscientious Objection”

Winifred Gray-Johnson
“Finding Forgiveness: A Path toward Healthy Relationships”

Lydia Haggard
“Is it Black or White?: Exploring Race and the Mennonite Church”

Katrina Poplett
“When Silence is Betrayal: Climbing the Hill”

Caleb Schrock-Hurst
“Is This a Bonhoeffer Moment?: Asking the Right Questions in Trump’s America”

Amanda Williams
“Mother Earth’s Plea for Her Prodigal Children to Return”

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”