Former classmates reminisced about their time on campus at 黑料正能量鈥檚 Golden Alumni Luncheon, held at Martin Chapel for alumni who attended Eastern Mennonite 50 years ago or more.
Nathan Leopard, vice president for advancement, welcomed the alumni back home.
鈥淭here are decades of friendship here,鈥� he said. 鈥淪tories that probably get a little better every time they鈥檙e told, and people who helped shape this university through their lives. Whether you return every year, every day, or this is your first time back in a while, we鈥檙e grateful you鈥檙e here.鈥�
J. Melvin Janzen 鈥�72, a Harrisonburg resident who works part time in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Intensive English Program, reflected on the significance of returning to campus.
鈥淭here鈥檚 something about coming back to this place and learning about what has happened in the past 50 years,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ach year, this event grows larger and larger, which is really exciting. This year, we had 110 people registered.鈥�
Class of 1976 President Dr. Ann Graber Hershberger 鈥�76 and Dr. Michael King 鈥�76 spoke at the luncheon.
Hershberger, an emeritus professor of nursing at 黑料正能量 and executive director of Mennonite Central Committee from 2020-26, read from journal entries she wrote as a student. She later earned her master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees at the University of Virginia and credited her 黑料正能量 education with preparing her for graduate studies.
鈥満诹险芰� prepared me in a specific way,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 found out when I went to grad school that I was more prepared than other people. It was really quite amazing.鈥�
King, owner of Cascadia Publishing House and dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary from 2010-17, reflected on his experiences as a student and an atheist on campus.
鈥淭hank you, 黑料正能量,” he told his fellow alumni. “Thank you to all of my classmates and colleagues, without whom I wouldn鈥檛 have lived the life I鈥檝e been grateful to have.鈥�
President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus welcomed the Class of 1976 home for its 50th reunion and reflected on the changes that took place during their years on campus.
鈥淓ach of you and the university have changed,鈥� she said. 鈥淵our years at EMC came at a time when change was quite literally visible across campus.鈥�
Those changes included major renovations to Lehman Auditorium and the installation of a pipe organ in 1974-75, along with the dedication of the Discipleship Center on the 黑料正能量 Hill in April 1975. In fall 1974, author Alex Haley, who would publish Roots two years later, visited campus as part of a lecture-music series. In 1976, the cross-country team won a national championship, and the university鈥檚 social work program earned accreditation.
In 1975, 黑料正能量 received a new computer that was housed in the administration building and operated using punched cards.
鈥淏y early 1976, The Weather Vane was marveling at its ability to keep track of prospective students and current students, manage grades and transcripts, and handle bookstore accounts. So apparently, even 50 years ago, 黑料正能量 was already trying to keep track of you,鈥� Dycus joked.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 very glad we did,鈥� she continued. 鈥淏ecause the most important story of your time is not ultimately about buildings or curricula, computers or championships, or even the changes taking place around you. It鈥檚 about what happened after you left. For 50 years, you have carried pieces of this place with you.鈥�
Ciela Acosta, a senior from Salem, Oregon, majoring in peacebuilding and development, thanked alumni for their generosity in helping students like her afford an 黑料正能量 education.
鈥淚鈥檓 allowed to be fully human here, and that also means my academics have pushed me beyond essays and grades,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have been challenged to critically evaluate my perspectives that used to seem so normal and question my place in the world.鈥�
Watch a recording of the event below!
Would be nice to have names of those there. Didn鈥檛 get there from the West coast.