The art therapy minor replaces a pre-art therapy concentration that was offered from 2019-22. Anna Westfall, associate professor of art and director of the VACA program, and Dr. Michael Horst, dean of Health, Behavioral, and Natural Sciences and director of the undergraduate psychology program, submitted their proposal for the minor last fall. It was approved by the Academic Council in November.

Through psychology courses, students will explore the science of human behavior and the mind, while VACA courses will engage them in the creative process and the conceptual and expressive outlets of art making, according to the proposal. 鈥淏y providing this minor, prospective students can explore both interests while seeing a clear path of study to a career that is not available at many institutions,鈥� it states. 鈥淔urthermore, it will give current students the tools to succeed when applying to graduate programs in art therapy.鈥�

What is art therapy?

Art therapy, as defined by the , is a mental health profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.

鈥淓specially when people are struggling, facing a challenge, or even a health crisis鈥攖heir own words or language fails them,鈥� the AATA says. 鈥淒uring these times, an art therapist can help clients express themselves in ways beyond words or language. Art therapists are trained in art and psychological theory and can help clients integrate nonverbal cues and metaphors that are often expressed through the creative process.鈥�

Art therapists work with people of all ages, including children experiencing behavioral challenges or those with autism spectrum disorder, the AATA says. These therapists assist people and caregivers in health crises; victims of violence or other trauma, including military service members and student survivors of mass shootings; older adults with dementia; and anyone who needs help coping with life鈥檚 challenges. 

Meeting student interest

Westfall, who helped start the pre-art therapy concentration several years ago, led efforts to develop the minor. She said she heard from so many students interested in art therapy over the years that faculty felt a need to offer it.

One of those students, Rachel Tusing 鈥�25, graduated with dual majors in art and psychology and is currently enrolled in 黑料正能量鈥檚 graduate counseling program.

鈥淎rt is like a second language for me,鈥� said Tusing, who has been interested in expressive arts and art therapy since high school.

鈥淗owever, when I began researching art therapy as a career, the path to licensure and practice was not clear,鈥� she said. 鈥淢uch of that is because art therapy is still a very new modality of therapy, and the foundation for education, licensure and practice is still being laid.鈥�

She said 黑料正能量鈥檚 addition of an art therapy minor will help students like herself who are looking to harness the healing power of art in the therapy room.

鈥淭his minor declares 黑料正能量鈥檚 continuing commitment and support for the arts in all kinds of spaces, especially for those who are in need,鈥� she said. 鈥淎rt is grounding, tender and empowering, and it belongs in mental health care. I only hope that 黑料正能量 will continue to expand and enrich this program. I am extremely proud and grateful for the work that has happened to get here.鈥�

What the minor can do

Horst, former director of 黑料正能量鈥檚 graduate counseling program, said students with an art therapy minor, paired with a major in studio art, art education, or psychology, would be well-positioned for graduate study in art therapy or clinical mental health counseling. While 黑料正能量 does not currently offer a master鈥檚 degree in art therapy, students can pursue the university鈥檚 accredited master鈥檚 program in clinical mental health counseling, which includes a focus on expressive arts therapy.

A master鈥檚 degree in art therapy can lead to Art Therapist Registered (ATR) credentialing. Registered art therapists serve diverse communities in settings such as hospitals, cancer treatment centers, psychiatric facilities, retirement communities, schools, and independent practices.

The art therapy minor offers : for psychology majors (18 VACA credits required), studio art majors (16 psychology credits required), art education majors (nine psychology credits required), and a pre-art therapy concentration for students majoring outside those fields (16 psychology credits and 16 VACA credits required).

Students can declare minors at any time by submitting a minor declaration form to the university registrar. They have until the first week of classes in September to add courses for the fall semester.

For more information about the minor, email Westfall at anna.westfall@emu.edu.

When Nate McGhee 鈥�24, MBA 鈥�26, arrived at 黑料正能量 in the fall of 2020, it wasn鈥檛 his first time giving college the old college try. The marketing and business administration major, a key contributor to the Royals men鈥檚 volleyball team during his four seasons on the squad, had enrolled at Randolph-Macon College a couple years prior. But a string of personal hardships, combined with a lack of preparation and a limited support system, led him to flunk out after his first year.

He said the private liberal arts school, which competes with 黑料正能量 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), might have been a good fit had he applied himself more. But he hadn鈥檛 yet developed strong study habits and, as he struggled with self-doubt, he didn鈥檛 know how or where to ask for help.

鈥淚 was keeping it all to myself, which was probably the worst thing to do,鈥� he said.

When he returned home to Newport News after being dismissed from the school, he felt lost.

鈥淚 was stuck,鈥� McGhee said. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥極K, everything you worked for isn鈥檛 coming to fruition, so what are you going to do?鈥欌��

He took his first full-time job, bussing tables and working the raw bar at a seafood and oyster restaurant near his home, while attending night classes at Thomas Nelson Community College (now known as Virginia Peninsula Community College). Though he continued playing recreational volleyball to stay sharp, the former high school standout had all but given up on competing at the collegiate level.

During a trip to Richmond to cheer on his friends and former coaches at a volleyball tournament in early 2020, opportunity came knocking. Less than 10 minutes after arriving, McGhee felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned around, he saw Danielle Lickey, 黑料正能量’s head men’s volleyball coach at the time.

After hearing how his volleyball career had stalled, Lickey invited him to visit campus. 鈥淲e could use someone like you,鈥� he recalled her saying.

McGhee toured campus over spring break and quickly fell in love with its picturesque mountain setting and close-knit feel. 鈥淭his is my second chance,鈥� he remembered thinking. 鈥淚 have to take it.鈥�

That fall, he transferred to 黑料正能量 as a sophomore. Over his (2021-24), he ranks 11th all-time in career kills and earned Third-Team All-CVC honors in 2023. In the summer of 2023, he represented the United States on a team in Italy.

鈥淚 thought volleyball was over for me, but that鈥檚 how I got back into it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f she hadn鈥檛 tapped me on the shoulder that one day, I probably wouldn鈥檛 be here [at 黑料正能量] right now.鈥�

Nate McGhee ranks 11th all-time in career kills over his four seasons with the 黑料正能量 men鈥檚 volleyball team (2021-24). He earned Third-Team All-CVC honors in 2023 and represented the United States on a team in Italy that summer.

Learning to lead

Off the volleyball court, McGhee found a firm footing in 黑料正能量鈥檚 classrooms and campus community. He earned a spot on the Dean鈥檚 List, an honor given to students with a semester GPA of at least 3.75. He grew more comfortable opening up to others on campus and seeking help when needed. He credited his advisor, Dr. Jim Leaman, associate professor of business, with helping keep him on track.

鈥淚 probably wouldn鈥檛 have graduated without him,鈥� McGhee said. 鈥淗e became a mentor to me and was with me every step of the way.鈥�

He said his parents鈥� love and support also helped him persevere when times were tough. 

鈥淔or a while, I felt like I was letting them down and failing at life,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut they told me it鈥檚 what you do after failing that makes it a failure. If you stay down and give up, then you鈥檝e failed. But if you get up and learn from your mistakes, then the mistake is history.鈥�

After graduating with a degree in business administration and marketing in spring 2024, McGhee stayed at 黑料正能量 as a graduate assistant coach for head men鈥檚 volleyball coach Omar Hoyos Aliff while pursuing his MBA, which he completed this past spring.

McGhee plans to use his degrees to build a career in sports marketing. He鈥檚 applied for positions with professional athletic organizations such as League One Volleyball.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 really what I have a passion for,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ventually, maybe five years down the line, I would love to open my own business sponsoring athletes and getting them more exposure.鈥�

While coaching was never a career path he considered as a player, his experience as a graduate assistant has shown him that he has a knack for it and genuinely enjoys it. 鈥淚 like seeing player growth,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 look at volleyball as an art. You can always build on it and learn something new.鈥�

McGhee said that multitasking, time management, and resilience are all skills he learned while at 黑料正能量. 鈥淚鈥檝e definitely developed a lot of confidence in my craft,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a lot of confidence before I came here in anything I did, and at 黑料正能量 I鈥檝e learned how to lead with confidence.鈥�

When the Royals men鈥檚 volleyball team traveled to Ashland in April for the 2026 ODAC Championship match against Randolph-Macon, it was a full-circle moment for McGhee. The Yellow Jackets ultimately prevailed in the , but the match reminded him of the many times he had faced his former team, including a conference quarterfinal at Randolph-Macon during his senior year when the Royals swept the Yellow Jackets.

鈥淭hat was unreal,鈥� McGhee said. 鈥淲henever I played games there, I always did poorly because I felt there was something hanging over me. But that game, and this last game we played, really showed me how much I鈥檝e grown.鈥�

Watch Nate talk about the close-knit community and support he found at 黑料正能量.

This story appears in the summer 2026 issue of Crossroads magazine.

The conference, 鈥淭hriving in Ministry: Family Systems Theory as a Resource for Faith Communities,鈥� was hosted by the seminary in partnership with The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family and supported by the Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Joe Carolin Memorial Fund.

Throughout the conference, participants explored family systems theory as a resource for understanding and strengthening relationships and congregational life. Ordained and lay leaders, along with others interested in family systems thinking, considered how Bowen theory and differentiation of self, along with their faith traditions, could guide reflection and cultivate thriving in ministry.

Keynote speakers Rev. Dr. Robert Creech and Dr. Dan Papero presented from their expertise in the fields of practical theology and psychotherapy, respectively. Over the two days of the conference, Dr. Creech shared keynote addresses about the intersection of language between systems thinking and Christian theology, as well as how the practice of differentiation of self enhances pastoral care. Dr. Papero spoke about the most recent neuroscientific research regarding the impact of stress on brain functioning. Both contributed to panel discussions with other presenters.  

Conference keynote speaker Dr. Dan Papero (left) has been a faculty member of The Bowen Center since 1982. He has written numerous articles and book chapters on various aspects of family systems theory and family psychotherapy. The Rev. Dr. Robert Creech (right), a former pastor and faculty member of Baylor University鈥檚 George W. Truett Theological Seminary, is the author of 鈥淔amily Systems and Congregational Life鈥� (2019) and co-author of 鈥淭丑别 Leader鈥檚 Journey鈥� (2020), both with Baker Academic.  

Workshops and presentations included discussions on preaching, biblical studies, parenting, and tools to help participants thrive in ministry and daily life.

Among the goals of the Thriving in Ministry conference were to help participants:

• grow in their capacity to differentiate self through an increased understanding of the science of human relationships in families and congregations
• apply family systems theory to the work of faith leaders in pastoral care, preaching, youth work, religious education, and other ministry settings
• explore practical applications, including family diagrams, triangles, and other ways of shifting from an individual to a systems perspective

Other guest presenters included Chaplain Penny Driediger, the Rev. Melanie Lewis, Pastor Lana Miller, Janis Norton, the Rev. Dr. Emlyn A. Ott, the Rev. William Pyle, and the Rev. Chet Yoder. Faculty presenters included Dr. Kenton T. Derstine, Kathleen Cotter Cauley, the Rev. Randall Frost, Dr. Barbara Laymon, the Rev. Jennifer Long, and Amie Post.

For more information about the conference, visit .

Commencement address

Dr. Angela J. Lederach, assistant professor of peace and justice studies at Chapman University, delivered the Commencement address in Yoder Arena.

The author and anthropologist, whose father, John Paul Lederach, co-founded the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, spoke about the lessons she鈥檚 learned from peacebuilders and CJP alumni around the world.

Undergraduates Dylan Hall and Arelys Martinez Fabian, along with MA in Counseling graduate Yenifer Dottin-Carter 鈥�23, presented the graduate perspectives.

This was Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus鈥� first Commencement as interim president.

Celebration of Blessings

The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding sent 17 graduates into the world with words of tribute during its annual Celebration of Blessings on Sunday afternoon, following Commencement. This year marks the 30th anniversary celebration of the CJP. 

Graduates LaToya Fernandez, Jamila Gaskins, Hannah Gilman, and Jacob Sankara offered their perspectives.  

Graduate Celebration and Sending

黑料正能量 honored members of the Class of 2026 at its Graduate Celebration and Sending service on Saturday evening in Lehman Auditorium.

The event featured a faculty address by Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, senior class salutations from co-presidents Genesis Figueroa and Arelys Martinez Fabian, and the presentation of the senior class gift, along with prayer, music, and poetry from graduates.

Donning of the Kente

Family, friends, faculty, and other supporters gathered in the MainStage Theater on Saturday to honor the perseverance, compassion, and determination of this year鈥檚 graduates at 黑料正能量鈥檚 11th annual Donning of the Kente Ceremony.

The event recognized 49 graduates celebrating their African and international heritage.

Nurse Pinning

Sixteen 黑料正能量 nursing graduates marked a major milestone Saturday morning during a pinning and commissioning ceremony in Lehman Auditorium.

Dr. David Rosie, an emergency medicine physician at Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg, delivered the keynote address.

Lavender Graduation

黑料正能量 recognized 11 graduates at its fifth annual Lavender Graduation on Friday evening in the Old Common Grounds space. The ceremony honors LGBTQ+ graduates and alumni while celebrating their unique experiences, achievements, and contributions to the university.

Sarah Peak and Jamila Gaskins delivered the keynote addresses.

黑料正能量 at Lancaster will award 21 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 13 graduate certificates at its Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8, at 7 p.m. at Forest Hills Mennonite Church in Leola, Pennsylvania. Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo will deliver the address.

Stay tuned for a recap of the Lancaster ceremony.

鈥淲hen you see them pouring themselves into the work of justice and peace, and you see them giving and giving, remind them to pause, please,鈥� Schaeffer, director of programs at CJP, said. 鈥淩emind them to rest. Remind them to seek out something joyful because this work needs them, but it needs them whole.鈥�

The ceremony honored graduates of CJP鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree and graduate certificate programs and was held Sunday afternoon in Martin Chapel following 黑料正能量鈥檚 108th annual Commencement.

This year marks the 30th anniversary celebration of the CJP, which was co-founded and led by John Paul Lederach. His daughter, Dr. Angela Lederach, delivered the Commencement address earlier Sunday.

Graduates from 黑料正能量’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding are embraced and recognized by CJP faculty and staff during the annual Celebration of Blessings in Martin Chapel on Sunday.

In the heartfelt ceremony, CJP faculty and staff members Dr. Gloria Rhodes, Amy Knorr, Dr. Paula Ditzel Facci, and Dr. Joe Cole provided words of tribute for each graduate. The following CJP graduates were recognized:

Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation

Diego Crespo Guido of Mexico City, Mexico

Jamila Gaskins of Los Angeles

Hannah Gilman of Salt Lake City

Chelsea Griffin of Flagstaff, Arizona

Leslie Meja of Nairobi, Kenya

Jacob Sankara of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

CatiAdele Slater of Upperville, Virginia

Tamera Vaughan-Drozd of Vienna, Virginia

Graduate Certificate in Conflict Transformation

Spike Coleman of Charleston, South Carolina

Devin Withrow of Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Master of Arts in Restorative Justice

Maria Arias of Viedma, Argentina

LaToya Fernandez of West Hartford, Connecticut

Sof铆a Garcia Pini of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice

R茅ka Bord谩s-Simon of Ny铆regyh谩za, Hungary

Mallery McShine of Fredericksburg, Virginia

Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership

Josiah Ludwick of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Tyler Stanley of Harrisonburg, Virginia

Dr. Gloria Rhodes 鈥�88 (left) and Kory Schaeffer MA 鈥�24 (right), co-directors of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, offer their welcome remarks.

As the graduates go out to create a more just and peaceful world, they also weave a web of connections and build an extended community of learning, Professor Dr. Gloria Rhodes 鈥�88, academic director of CJP, said in her remarks.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a small community, and 黑料正能量 is a very small university,鈥� Rhodes said. 鈥淏ut together, we are enormous.鈥�

She said there are more than 23,000 黑料正能量 graduates around the world, including more than 800 who have earned degrees from CJP鈥檚 master鈥檚 programs.

As a CJP alumnus, Schaeffer said he shared the graduates鈥� joy and quiet solidarity, as well as their sense of how much they had cared, questioned, and transformed throughout their time at CJP.

鈥淭his work was never just the books you read or the papers you wrote,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was also the gray hairs, the tears, the tightness in your body, and the moments you questioned everything. It was the weight, literal or metaphorical, that comes with doing work that is both deeply personal and profoundly collective.鈥�

LaToya Fernandez, an MA in restorative justice graduate, shares the journey that led her to CJP.

Conflict transformation graduates Hannah Gilman (left) and Jamila Gaskins (right) reflect on their experiences in the program.

Graduates LaToya Fernandez, Jamila Gaskins, Hannah Gilman, and Jacob Sankara shared their perspectives.  

Fernandez recalled visiting Ghana a couple of years ago and experiencing something there that changed her life. 鈥淚 grieved there, I left my burdens there, I cried for my ancestors,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 learned things about myself that I didn鈥檛 know.鈥�

She left Africa with a mission to bring that sense of healing to her communities and to the United States. She had applied to another school鈥檚 restorative justice program, which offered her a full scholarship, when a friend encouraged her to learn more about CJP. 鈥淵ou want to go to a place that鈥檚 going to value you and all your decolonizing institution ways,鈥� Fernandez recalled her friend telling her. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 exactly what happened. I came to 黑料正能量 and I fell in love.鈥�

Gaskins, who spoke at 黑料正能量鈥檚 Lavender Graduation two days prior, asked the crowd when they last breathed. 鈥淣ot a shallow breath, the kind most of us live on, tight chest, shoulders up near our ears, but a full breath. One that goes all the way down, opens up the belly, and reminds you that you are here, present, alive.鈥�

鈥淪o many of us are chest breathers, and I say this with love and a little humor, because chest breathing is a perfectly functional way to stay alive, but it cuts us off,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t blocks access to the richness of our emotional experience, the very experience this work demands we stay connected to. We cannot feel our way into someone else鈥檚 suffering if we are numb to our own.鈥�

Gilman said their past two years in the program have involved real sacrifice, balancing work, family, stressful logistics, and a dream. There have been many hard moments and even some tears, but also triumphs, laughter, and joy. There were moments of fear, and they showed up anyway.

鈥淲hat a unique experience it has been to do this in a place like CJP,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith faculty and staff who knew us, challenged us, believed in us, and who, bless them, gave us extensions. I鈥檓 so grateful to share this era of growth with you, this particular season of becoming, of stretching, of learning what we are made of and made for.鈥�

Mukarabe Inandava-Makinto (right), a CJP student, her husband, Makinto GC 鈥�26 (left), and their son, Jo毛l Friebe-Makinto, perform the musical prelude

CJP students Virginia Maina and Kensly Cassy offer student blessings (left). Amy Knorr (right), CJP’s peacebuilding practice director, provides the graduate sending. 鈥淭his is actually my favorite day of the entire year, even more than Christmas,” Knorr said. “And it鈥檚 not because summer break begins tomorrow, but because we are sending forth so many graduates who will go on to change and transform the world.鈥�

Sankara shared that he felt two emotions when he received his acceptance to the CJP program: excitement and intimidation. 鈥淪ome of my colleagues at [Mennonite Central Committee], when I was working there, had gone through the program, and they spoke about it with a kind of reverence,鈥� he said.

Along with those emotions came real anxiety. How would Sankara, an international student from Burkina Faso, find the money to fund his studies? He said his family鈥檚 visa situation was also uncertain. 鈥淚 had to make a decision to trust God and move forward, even without having all the answers, and slowly things began to unfold,鈥� he said.

He received a helpful scholarship from CJP and support from friends and family. Eventually, his family was able to come to the United States and was there to celebrate with him on Sunday. Sankara described CJP as more than a program, calling it a community.

鈥淲hen I say community, I don鈥檛 mean a group of people who simply agree with each other,鈥� Sankara said. 鈥淚 mean a space where we celebrate, laugh together, and step on each other鈥檚 feet, not once but repeatedly. But the difference is that we acknowledge it, address it, and grow through it.鈥�

More than a series of classes, SPI is a place to learn in community. Participants live on campus, share meals, attend lectures, and build connections that last long after the program ends.

This year’s sessions will be held May 18-26, May 28-June 5, and June 8-12.

The application deadline for U.S. participants is May 8. Learn more and apply at .

鈥淲ith upgraded equipment, 黑料正能量 will provide richer, practical laboratory, research, and project-based experiences to prepare students for lucrative careers in STEM fields and nursing,鈥� states a grant application submitted by Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success for 黑料正能量.

The grant request also includes a 鈥渟mall salary allocation to support the procurement, calibration, and installation of equipment鈥� and to train faculty and students on its use.

It further states that the upgraded equipment would provide a significant educational opportunity for current students, attract faculty and students to 黑料正能量, and enhance contributions to STEM and health care fields through research, publication, consultation with local businesses, and a better-prepared workforce in Virginia.

鈥淭his project would amplify the impact of our current NSF STEM scholarship program, which increases postsecondary education access for academically talented, Pell-eligible students,鈥� the request states.

The 鈥満诹险芰� grows STEM鈥� project is among a list of community priorities highlighted in the Fiscal Year 2026 federal spending bill, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., announced in a news release in February.

For a full list of projects in the Shenandoah Valley and Highlands regions of Virginia funded through the FY26 spending bill, .

黑料正能量 黑料正能量

黑料正能量 is a fully accredited university known for its outstanding STEM and health program preparation. Over 90% of job-seeking graduates of 黑料正能量 find employment quickly, with many in nursing and STEM employed before graduation. 黑料正能量 is a Forbes Best Return on Investment University and is one of the best colleges in the regional South (U.S. News & World Report). 黑料正能量 STEM students gain practical and technical skills through project-based experiences and social networks through mentorship from faculty and supportive learning communities. 

The service was co-sponsored by Eastern Mennonite Seminary and led by graduate students Makinto and Mukarabe Makinto-Inandava. It included musical selections from Makinto, as well as the 黑料正能量 Gospel Choir led by Kay Pettus ’25, and biblical readings from Mukarabe.

Reflections on Easter were shared by English Professor Dr. Kevin Seidel, who teaches and writes about the changing relationship between religion, secularism, and literature. His message, titled 鈥淲omen Explain Things to Me: A Sermon on Luke 24,” focused not so much on Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead but on the “slow, difficult coming to terms with the significance of the resurrection by Jesus’ followers as portrayed in Luke 24.”

鈥淚n Luke, the resurrection of Jesus isn鈥檛 a simple, triumphant end of the story, but a kind of difficult beginning that unfolds in the Book of Acts,鈥� Seidel said. 鈥淭丑别 resurrection doesn鈥檛 settle debate among Jesus鈥� followers about who he is. The resurrection proves, I think, profoundly unsettling for them.鈥�

After the service, Seidel said he was glad for the chance to reflect on parts of the resurrection story in Luke 24. 鈥淭丑别 service was a good way to mark and celebrate the beginning of the seven-week Easter season in the church calendar,鈥� he said.

University Chaplain Brian Martin Burkholder said Wednesday鈥檚 Easter celebration follows 黑料正能量鈥檚 practice of honoring and observing significant Christian traditions and holidays, including Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

鈥淭his morning, as we gathered, there was an opportunity for education about Easter,鈥� he said, 鈥渁s well as an invitation to worship in the spirit of Easter through Scripture, singing, and reflection.鈥�

Makinto, a frequent worship leader at chapel events, performed Jesus Is Risen, an original song he wrote in 2013, as the opening song for this year鈥檚 Easter worship service. The song tells the Easter story and connects it to our own lives, he said. 

鈥淪o, as he is risen, we as well can rise above all the challenges we have, above the pains we have, above the solitude we have, and also conquer death and situate ourselves squarely in life with our community around us,鈥� Makinto said.

Makinto and his wife, Mukarabe, moved from California to pursue degrees at Eastern Mennonite Seminary and the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, respectively. They are the directors of , an organization that connects people at the local and global levels for the purpose of development, unification, and spiritual and physical well-being.

University Chaplain Brian Martin Burkholder speaks during a campus worship service on Wednesday in Martin Chapel.

Mukarabe Makinto-Inandava reads a selection from Luke 24 (left). Members of the 黑料正能量 Gospel Choir (right) sing during Wednesday’s campus worship service.

黑料正能量 Campus Worship

Campus Worship is an invitational space for gathered worship in Christian traditions and a variety of styles. Services are held in Martin Chapel of the Seminary Building on Wednesday mornings every other week.聽

Campus worship continues with a final service of the academic year on April 22 recognizing 黑料正能量鈥檚 senior student chaplains: Emily Suarez Nunez, Dia Mekonnen, Sara Kennel, and Miranda Beidler. The event will be livestreamed on .

Watch a video recording of the service below!

Those faculty members are:

• Dr. Katherine Evans: Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education
• Dr. James Leaman: Longacre Endowed Chair in Business and Leadership
• Dr. Peter Dula: Myron S. Augsburger Endowed Chair of Theology
• Dr. James Yoder: Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair of Science

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs for 黑料正能量, said these faculty members were chosen as endowed chairs because of their demonstrated leadership, service, teaching, and research, as well as their capacity to be champions of their programs at 黑料正能量. 

鈥淓ndowed chairs are a critical component of 黑料正能量鈥檚 academic vitality,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur goal is to elevate the recognition of our faculty who hold this honor and to celebrate the donors whose generosity helps to support academic excellence in this way.鈥�

The endowed chair positions provide funding for each faculty position within a particular discipline, along with scholarships for students in the discipline and funds for program initiatives. Chairs receive professional development funds to support their research and scholarship. An endowed chair appointment is one of the highest honors a faculty member can receive at 黑料正能量, supporting their continued excellence in scholarship and teaching, said the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

Keep reading for bios of each professor.

Dr. Katherine Evans

Professor of Teacher Education and director of the Undergraduate Teacher Education program
Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education

Kathy Evans is a professor of Teacher Education at 黑料正能量, teaching courses in educational psychology, special education, and restorative justice in education. She earned her PhD from the University of Tennessee in educational psychology and research. Her research, teaching, and scholarship focus on ways in which educators participate in creating more just and equitable educational opportunities for all students, including those with disability labels, those who exhibit challenging behavior, and those who are marginalized for a variety of reasons, including race, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. 

During her 15 years at 黑料正能量, Evans has helped develop 黑料正能量鈥檚 graduate program in Restorative Justice in Education (RJE), which supports educators as they create learning environments that promote relational approaches to teaching and learning, justice and equity in schools and classrooms, and transformational approaches to conflict and harm. She is the co-author of聽The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education聽and has published several articles and book chapters related to restorative justice in education, school culture and climate, and school discipline practices, focusing on the ways in which restorative justice is applied to educational contexts.聽

How do you feel to be granted this position?

It鈥檚 an honor to be appointed as the Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education. The Byler endowment has historically been such a gift to the Teacher Education Program at 黑料正能量, providing support for pre-service teachers in the way of fee waivers for testing and licensure, conference registration for networking with other pre-service teachers, scholarships, and resources that support their success through their 黑料正能量 program. We are in a season of growth and expansion and I am grateful for the opportunities I will have in this position to support that growth, both in the recruitment of talented and dedicated teachers and in the ongoing professional development for our faculty. At this moment in time, we need teachers who are committed to justice and peacebuilding. Embedding restorative justice within our teacher education program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels opens up spaces to support educators who want to not only excel as educators, but to be educators who nurture the well-being of each student. The Byler endowment helps us to do that work better.

What do you love about 黑料正能量?

This is my 15th year at 黑料正能量 and I am more hopeful about 黑料正能量鈥檚 future today than I have been since I arrived. The commitment to peacebuilding and justice鈥攅ven when we don鈥檛 fully live into that commitment鈥攎eans that there is a unifying set of values that guide our collective work. I see our students, staff, and faculty working to honor those values and that mission. Our students are amazing and they remind me every day that the work of justice is ongoing, intergenerational, and worth it.

What is a fun fact about you?

When I鈥檓 not working, I might be fishing鈥攂ass fishing at Silver Lake or fly-fishing at Dry River. I find the water so peaceful.

Dr. James M. Leaman

Associate Professor of Business and director of the Business and Leadership program
Longacre Endowed Chair in Business and Leadership

Jim Leaman chairs the Business and Leadership Program, where he teaches undergraduate courses in management, finance, and economics, and graduate courses in organizational and leadership studies. His industry experience spans both private business and nonprofit administration, including 12 years of service with an international non-governmental organization (INGO) in Kenya. The 黑料正能量 alumnus has a PhD in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

The perspective Leaman adds to his field is analyzing and teaching about the role and impact of business and organizations within ecological limits and dynamic social systems, resulting in an integrated lens of sustainability, stewardship and justice. Leaman researches and publishes in the areas of sustainable housing and energy, and his most recent scholarly work is a management textbook, with which he collaborated with an international team of authors to publish in the creative commons, resulting in lower resource costs for students. 

How do you feel to be granted this position?

It is an honor to hold the endowed chair position in business and to steward the gifts and vision of the Longacre family as the program serves and prepares the next generation of business leaders.

What do you love about 黑料正能量?

The 黑料正能量 mission to prepare students to serve and lead in a global context becomes more relevant with each new innovation and global integration.

What is a fun fact about you?

In awe of the vastness and complexity of the universe, I鈥檝e gained an avocational interest in learning as much as I can about the cosmos.

Dr. Peter Dula

Professor of Religion and Culture
Myron S. Augsburger Endowed Chair of Theology

Peter Dula is the professor of Religion and Culture at 黑料正能量. The 黑料正能量 alumnus received a PhD from Duke University in theology and ethics in 2004. He is the author of Cavell, Companionship, and Christian Theology (Oxford, 2011). Before coming to 黑料正能量 in 2006, he was the Mennonite Central Committee Iraq Program Coordinator. He has taught at Lancaster Mennonite High School and at the Meserete Kristos College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was a Fulbright scholar in 2001-02.

This is his 20th year at 黑料正能量. He teaches primarily in the undergraduate program, as well as one class each year at the seminary and the Bioethics course in the MA in Biomedicine program. He is married to Ilse Ackerman and they have two children, Simon (17) and Nina (15). 

What do you love about 黑料正能量?

Two things I love about 黑料正能量 are its smart and interesting faculty colleagues and its location in the Shenandoah Valley.

What is a fun fact about you? 

I planted 500 trees over the last couple of years. The latest Weather Vane issue has . Along with Trina Trotter Nussbaum at the Center for Interfaith Engagement, I organized last month’s consultation on Judaism, the Bible, and Anabaptism. The Weather Vane also has . 

Dr. James Yoder

Professor of Biology and director of the Natural Sciences programs
Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair of Science

Jim Yoder is the chair of 黑料正能量鈥檚 Department of Natural Sciences, advising environmental science and biology majors and teaching evolution, ecology, and conservation biology. A 1994 alumnus of 黑料正能量, he earned his PhD from The Ohio State University, where he studied the effects of habitat fragmentation on ruffed grouse movements at large spatial scales. His research interests include conservation, landscape and behavioral ecology, animal movement, invasive species, stream restoration, nitrogen and carbon footprint tracking, and insect movement using harmonic radar. He has also led multiple intercultural programs to New Zealand, the Navajo Nation, and Washington D.C. (upcoming), as well as three research trips with undergraduates to Australia. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, traveling, and hiking with his wife Kathy. 

How do you feel to be granted this position?

I’m honored to be named the Suter Endowed Chair of Science and work to continue the level of scholarship and teaching Daniel Suter established in the natural sciences at 黑料正能量. Coordinating the long-running Suter Science Seminar Series with a diverse array of speakers and increasing collaborative research among our science faculty and undergraduate students are two aspects of being Suter Chair that I’m most excited to focus on. 

What do you love about 黑料正能量?

Wonderful colleagues, a diverse student body, and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley鈥攊t’s a great place to be a field biologist!

What is a fun fact about you?

My wife and I recently moved into a loft apartment in the heart of downtown Harrisonburg above . It keeps us young at heart!  And we are soon to be grandparents for the first time!

Patience Kamau 鈥�02, MA 鈥�17 (conflict transformation), stands outside the post office in Nyahururu, central Kenya, and holds a letter. Its mailing address is written to her in blue ink, while the return address lists an 鈥満诹险芰库�� in Harrisonburg, Virginia, of the United States. The high school senior tears open the envelope and starts reading. The letter inside tells her that 50% of her tuition costs at 黑料正能量 will be covered through the university鈥檚 International Grant.

Though that moment occurred nearly three decades ago, Kamau remembers it like it was yesterday. 鈥淭hat was among the greatest blessings I ever received,鈥� she said, looking back.

She didn鈥檛 know much about the U.S. at the time, and even less about 黑料正能量, but her decision to cross an ocean and enroll at the university would forever shape her future. 鈥淚t was very clear it was shifting the trajectory of my life,鈥� she said.

Soon after receiving that first letter, she received another from 黑料正能量 with an invitation. 鈥淏ring an open heart,鈥� Kamau recalled reading, 鈥渂ecause here you will make friendships and relationships that you will maintain for the rest of your life.鈥�

鈥淎nd that was true,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any of the relationships I formed at 黑料正能量 remain meaningful in my life.鈥�

She admitted that she didn鈥檛 choose 黑料正能量; her father chose it for her. He had heard through family friends about 鈥渁 little college in Harrisonburg鈥� with a strong pre-med program. 鈥淗e started looking into it, reading and studying it, and he liked it,鈥� Kamau said.聽

She arrived as a pre-med major in the fall of 1998. Her parents were physicians, and they encouraged her to follow in their footsteps. Kamau enjoyed biology classes during her first year at 黑料正能量, but once she started taking organic chemistry her sophomore year, she realized it was not for her. She quickly switched majors to computer information systems.

She became close with the handful of other international students on campus and got involved with the university鈥檚 multicultural and international programs, where she came under the wing of Delores 鈥淒elo鈥� Blough 鈥�80, former director of international student and scholar services. 鈥淒elo was a huge part of making all of us feel at home,鈥� she said.

After graduating in 2002, Kamau worked in a variety of campus departments, including the alumni and parent relations office, the seminary, and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. She eventually landed a position at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, serving as assistant to the executive director while a student at CJP. As a perk of her job, she said, she could take eight credit hours a year at no charge.

Six years ago, as chair of CJP鈥檚 25th anniversary committee, she began producing a series of Peacebuilder podcast episodes featuring the program鈥檚 faculty and staff to capture CJP鈥檚 oral history. According to an 黑料正能量 News article from 2022, the podcast had logged more than 11,500 listeners in 119 countries and territories around the globe.

Since 2022, Kamau has served as program director for . The online course and connection platform offers activists, innovators, and others seeking knowledge and tools a space to 鈥渕anifest solutions for people and planet,鈥� according to its website.

Kamau said she categorizes her life as 鈥�100% lucky.鈥� Half of that luck comes from the random happenstances she had nothing to do with. The other 50% is the kind of serendipitous luck when 鈥減reparation meets opportunity,鈥� she said, borrowing a favorite phrase from Oprah.

鈥淵ou try and live a certain way and prepare, and then when the opportunity arises, you hopefully take advantage of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have been more grateful to have ended up at 黑料正能量 as a young adult who didn鈥檛 fully know who I was or what I wanted from life.鈥�

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. On April 1, let鈥檚 show that our generosity knows no bounds鈥or the record!

Bethany Chupp 鈥�16, MA 鈥�18 (counseling), remembers the exact moment she learned she had landed 黑料正能量鈥檚 prized four-year, full-tuition Yoder/Webb Scholarship.

While on her way to get pizza with a friend鈥檚 family, she received a call from History Professor Mark Metzler Sawin, director of 黑料正能量’s Honors program, who told her the good news. 鈥淚 got off the phone and told them, 鈥業 just got a full ride to college,鈥欌�� recalled Chupp. 鈥淭丑别y were like, 鈥極h my God, well, now it鈥檚 a celebration dinner.鈥欌��

That was 13 years ago. Today, the Oregon native, equipped with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology and an MA in counseling from 黑料正能量, runs her own private practice, , as a licensed professional counselor. She credits 黑料正能量鈥檚 graduate counseling program with helping her reach her goals.

鈥淚 feel like what it gave me, in terms of my career, was a network and a level of trust, because the program is so respected,鈥� Chupp said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e an 黑料正能量 counseling grad, in this area, at least, it鈥檚 what gets you a job, no problem.鈥�

Growing up in a Mennonite family, Chupp said her parents, graduates of Hesston and Goshen colleges, encouraged her to attend a Mennonite school. After visiting various colleges and universities across the U.S., she said 黑料正能量 just felt different. Its students seemed the kindest, she said, and its campus the most active. The fact that she could earn a college degree without paying a dollar in tuition, thanks to 黑料正能量鈥檚 generous donors, was just the cherry on top.

鈥淭丑别 Yoder/Webb scholarship ultimately sealed it,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ow are you going to say no to that?鈥�

While at 黑料正能量, Chupp studied in the Middle East for her intercultural in 2015 and attended the Y-Serve Civil Rights Tour in 2016. 鈥婤oth of those experiences wouldn鈥檛 have been possible for her without attending 黑料正能量, she said.

Another unique experience offered at 黑料正能量 was the closeness she shared with her professors. 鈥淢y classes were small enough that we were invited to professors鈥� homes for dinner, and we called them by their first names,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not common. That鈥檚 something 黑料正能量 does differently.鈥�

She continues to stay in touch with many of them. 鈥淭丑别y鈥檙e not just former professors,鈥� she said. 鈥淭丑别y鈥檙e friends who happened to be my professors.鈥�

For the past five years, Chupp has been actively involved in the local roller derby community. She skates as Peaches n’ Scream for The Hits, a team that competes in Harrisonburg鈥檚 . She had attended games as an 黑料正能量 student but was committed to theater. 鈥淧lus, my mom told me I couldn鈥檛 join until I was off her health insurance,鈥� she joked. When COVID-19 put an end to her theater shows, she discovered a newfound passion on the roller rink.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very inclusive and welcoming community,鈥� said Chupp. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a sport where every body type has a place and a purpose. There鈥檚 also something cathartic about it in that it鈥檚 curated aggression.鈥�

Chupp has four siblings, including two alumni, Brandon 鈥�19 and Caleb 鈥�25. They aren鈥檛 the only Royals she may have helped recruit to campus. The longtime camp counselor and director spent many summers working at Drift Creek Camp, a Mennonite camp on the coast of Oregon. She said several former campers are now students at 黑料正能量. 鈥淲hen I came to 黑料正能量, I was the first Oregon student in years,鈥� she said. 鈥淭丑别re was one senior and then me. And now, there鈥檚 a whole posse of them that are here.鈥�

Since graduating from 黑料正能量 in 2018, Chupp has regularly returned to campus to attend events, meet with friends, and provide services at the counseling center.

鈥淚t鈥檚 rewarding to still be part of the community and care about it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 easy for alumni to dismiss it as something from when they were in college, but I continue to feel invested in 黑料正能量鈥檚 success.鈥�

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. On April 1, let鈥檚 show that our generosity knows no bounds鈥or the record!

Born and raised in the Mennonite church, Rhodes grew up believing she was called to be a peacemaker. But that early understanding of peace, she admits, made her avoid conflict rather than engage in it.

Then, two students, burly Russian men seated near the back of the classroom, began arguing. 

Within moments, the tension shifted. Chairs scraped. Voices sharpened. The exchange turned physical. And Rhodes realized something that would change the course of her life.

鈥淚 could talk about peace, but I didn鈥檛 actually know how to respond when presented with conflict,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I returned to the United States, I knew I needed to learn how to handle conflict.鈥�

She scuttled her previous plans to pursue a graduate degree in English and instead studied conflict analysis and resolution at George Mason University, earning both a master鈥檚 degree and a PhD. While at graduate school, she was hired by Professor Emeritus Dr. Vernon Jantzi ’64 to help coordinate the newly launched Summer Peacebuilding Institute (SPI) at 黑料正能量.聽

For 34 years, Rhodes has taught at 黑料正能量, primarily in its world-renowned Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP). Today, she serves as academic director of CJP and professor of peacebuilding and conflict studies. She also teaches courses in conflict transformation and peacebuilding for the undergraduate program and the master of nursing program.聽

Rhodes has led semester and summer intercultural programs in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, South Korea, and the Navajo Nation. She has served as department chair of 黑料正能量鈥檚 Applied Social Science Department, administrative director of SPI, and as a program assistant for the National Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution.

With SPI turning 30 this year, we sat down with the long-tenured professor to talk about the values-based education offered at CJP and how students are bringing more peace and justice to the world.

The following responses are from an interview that Rhodes conducted with photographer and videographer Macson McGuigan 鈥�17. A video from their interview will publish later this spring. These responses were edited for conciseness.

What鈥檚 unique about CJP?

Many other programs teach basic communication or mediation skills, but what we add at 黑料正能量 goes deeper. Our focus is on who you are and what you bring. Beyond the technical skills of conflict transformation, students engage in deep reflection and introspection around questions of:

• Who am I?
• What are my values and identities?
• What do I uniquely contribute to this work?
• And where do I fit in creating a more just and peaceful world?

We challenge students to connect their personal growth with leadership. They consider how to bring these skills and values into the places where they already work and lead. That combination of skill and self-assessment is the value we offer.

What can CJP grads do with their degrees?

There are generally three directions our students take. 黑料正能量 a third go into direct practice, often working with nonprofit or non-governmental organizations anywhere in the world. These roles can include mediation centers, community outreach, or other supporting positions where they apply skills like facilitating discussions and bringing together diverse groups to meet community needs.

Another third pursue further education. Many go on to doctoral programs to study conflict more deeply, contribute to policy, or prepare to teach in this relatively new field. 

The final third continue in their current careers in positions ranging from ministry, health care, business, and government. They鈥檙e drawn to CJP because they want to improve how people work together, make decisions, and solve complex problems.

Why should people study at CJP?

We are truly about creating a learning community together. This isn鈥檛 a place where you come to be filled up with knowledge. You come because you want to explore your part in making the world more peaceful, and together, we figure out how to bring more peace and justice to the world.聽

We can鈥檛 do it alone, and no single set of skills fits every situation. That鈥檚 why our approach is based on mutuality and learning, where everyone鈥檚 experiences and knowledge matter. Students contribute what they know, and at the same time, gain practical skills they can use in their own contexts.

Our focus is on practice, not just theory or research. We care about what people can do to make the world more peaceful and just. CJP is a place to learn, share, and build that future together.

What kinds of hands-on experience is offered at CJP?

Our curriculum is intentionally designed to include hands-on practice in the community. For example, in the facilitation course, our graduate students are contracted by local groups and organizations to help facilitate meetings or support decision-making processes. While students are learning and practicing new skills, the organizations also benefit from their work.

At the end of the master鈥檚 program, students can choose a traditional thesis, but most complete a practicum. These opportunities are diverse, ranging from restorative justice and trauma healing to mediation, facilitation, and training. Alumni often connect current students with new practice opportunities, ensuring a rich network of real-world engagement.

What is the Summer Peacebuilding Institute (SPI)?

Part of how we support our students is by offering courses in the summer, not as traditional summer school, but as a training institute. These courses and trainings, held in May and June, allow anyone to explore topics related to conflict, restorative justice, and other areas of practice. Courses generally last five to seven days, and multiple courses run simultaneously over the two-month period. 

SPI is intentionally designed as a learning community. Students live in dorms, attend classes and lectures, and learn from one another, all while experiencing what it means to live together in a diverse community. It鈥檚 both a retreat and a training space. As one alum described, SPI is like a well where people can take a drink of water. It鈥檚 not going to feed them forever, but it鈥檚 nourishment they can take back into their work and communities.

鈥淪he had a presence and an authority that made her quiet words deeply significant wherever she spoke them,鈥� said Professor Emerita Dorothy Jean Weaver, who taught Miller at Eastern Mennonite Seminary (EMS) and worked alongside her on faculty for 19 years. 鈥淚n her own way, she was a giant. She had a huge impact wherever she was, and certainly here at EMS.鈥�

Miller served the seminary from 1991 to 2010 in roles including campus pastor and assistant professor of spiritual formation. She was committed to helping people discover their story within 鈥淕od鈥檚 great story,鈥� establishing EMS鈥� spiritual formation program, and founding training programs for spiritual directors within Mennonite Church USA and The United Methodist Church.

At EMS, she led the Summer Institute for Spiritual Formation and developed 鈥淪oul Space,鈥� an online guide for scripture reading and prayer. Many of her lasting contributions, through the gifts she shared and the lives she touched, endure today.

In addition to her two decades on seminary faculty, she was an ordained minister in Mennonite Church USA鈥檚 Virginia Conference and was a leading author. Among her writings, Invitation to Presence: A Guide to Spiritual Disciplines (Upper Room Books, 1995) was translated into several languages. She maintained a private spiritual direction practice until entering hospice care last summer.

Formerly of Broadway, Virginia, Miller was living in West Chicago, Illinois, when she passed away on Oct. 8, 2025. She was 87. A memorial service celebrating her life, held on Dec. 6, can be viewed on YouTube . A full obituary is available at .

Her husband and partner in ministry of 65 years, the Rev. Edmond F. Miller, died in October 2024.

鈥楬er imprint remains鈥�

Because of Miller鈥檚 鈥済entle and steady efforts鈥� beginning when she joined the seminary faculty in 1991, said the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, EMS centered spiritual formation in its curriculum 鈥渓ong before theological schools in general and Anabaptist schools in particular caught on to the importance of tending the inner life of ministerial leaders.鈥�

鈥淭oday, hundreds of EMS graduates have been sustained in their ministerial vocations because of the 鈥榠nvitation to presence鈥� Rev. Miller modeled and extended to them,鈥� wrote Bixler. 鈥淗er imprint remains on the EMS curriculum, and students today cite the contemplative attentiveness cultivated by EMS as a distinctive and transformative aspect of their theological education. They are more compassionate, discerning, and resilient because of Rev. Miller鈥檚 influence.鈥�

Her influence also lives on in the touches and traditions that have become part of the fabric of the seminary.

As reported in a in the Daily News-Record, Miller was 鈥渢he driving force behind getting the (prayer) labyrinth installed鈥� on the 黑料正能量 Hill above the Seminary Building. Dedicated in 2007, the labyrinth offers a unique way to connect with God.

Visitors to the Seminary Building might be familiar with the rectangular wooden 鈥渇ree table鈥� just outside the second floor kitchen. It displays food and other items that people can leave or take. 鈥淭hat was Wendy鈥檚 idea,鈥� said Weaver. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how tangible and simple her ideas could be. She had a deep heart for the collective community.鈥�

Another contribution she made to the seminary was the awareness that its faculty retreats should be held away from campus, Weaver said. For several decades, those retreats were held at Camp Overlook, a nearby United Methodist camp and retreat center. 鈥淪he was someone who looked around and dreamed of things that could be,鈥� Weaver said.

‘She saw potential in (us)’

One of Miller鈥檚 first students in the spiritual formation program, the Rev. Dr. Kevin Clark MA 鈥�96 (church leadership) was trained and trusted to lead the program when she retired in 2010. 鈥淪he was my teacher, my professor, my mentor, my friend, my spiritual director, and my colleague, all wrapped up in one relationship,鈥� said Clark, a former campus pastor and retired assistant professor of spiritual formation at EMS.

鈥淲endy had this wisdom and insight into others that was unique,鈥� he said. 鈥淧art of it was just rooted in who she was, as someone who paid attention to how God鈥檚 spirit was at work within others, and offering and evoking that in her quiet, questioning way. I was always amazed at how she would be in a classroom, we鈥檇 be in conversation, and she would have these wonderful little pauses, then come back with a question that was profound for a student to begin to think about. It opened up the whole classroom to a deeper understanding and awareness of their own spirituality.鈥�

Les Horning 鈥�86, MDiv 鈥�98, director of admissions for EMS from 2012-18, also had Miller as a professor. He described her as 鈥渙ne of the most formative presences鈥� of his MDiv experience.

鈥淪he saw potential in folks and would find ways to let them know,鈥� he said. 鈥淪uddenly, you realized, Oh, she鈥檚 seeing my heart. I think that was one of her gifts, helping people dig beneath the surface and find out who they were.鈥�

Horning graduated from 黑料正能量 with bachelor鈥檚 degrees in biology and chemistry and worked as a research chemist for five years before feeling a call for ministry and enrolling at EMS. 鈥淔or me to come to seminary was a huge change and Wendy was a key part of helping me see that it was a good and right thing,鈥� said Horning, pastor at Stephens City Mennonite Church. 鈥淪he was very good at pulling out folks鈥� unique contributions to the community and making people feel valued and accepted and wanted.鈥�

Along with Clark and Horning, Weaver traveled on an overnight train to Chicago last month to attend the memorial service. She remembers Miller for her love of Winnie the Pooh, her delightful laugh, and whimsical sense of humor. 

鈥淪he was a blessed woman who shared blessing with everyone she came in contact with,鈥� Weaver said. 鈥淚 consider it a major gift of my life to have been a friend of hers.鈥�

She grew up in England

The following is from an obituary printed in the :

Born in 1938 in Westham, England, Miller was a child in London during World War II and later lived in Eastbourne, East Sussex. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1959, settling in Chicago with her husband. They served as missionaries in Frankfurt, Germany, and pastored churches including Woodland (Basye) Mennonite, as well as across the Midwest and eastern U.S. Following retirement, they lived in Virginia, Texas, and North Carolina before returning to Illinois.

Rev. Miller earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Iowa Wesleyan University, a master鈥檚 degree in church leadership with a concentration in pastoral care and counseling from EMS, and a master of sacred theology in spiritual theology and spiritual direction from General Theological Seminary in New York City.

She leaves five children, Paul (David Selmer) of Maine, David (Julie) of Georgia, Mark (Wendy) of Kansas, Scott (Laura) of Illinois, and Heidi (Gary MacDonald) of Georgia; 14 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, three brothers, and four sisters-in-law.