Homecoming and Inauguration Weekend 2026 was one for the history books. It featured a first-of-its-kind gala that celebrated 黑料正能量鈥檚 history, a concert by The Steel Wheels on the campus Front Lawn, and, as the centerpiece of the weekend, the investiture of the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as the university鈥檚 10th president.

There were plenty of events to attend and people to meet. In case you missed any of the festivities, we鈥檝e rounded up some of the highlights below!

Community Partners Luncheon

A networking event bringing together business owners, local leaders, and government officials from across the Shenandoah Valley kicked off inauguration weekend by recognizing 黑料正能量鈥檚 community partnerships.

Writers Read

The homecoming festivities continued the following evening with a Writers Read featuring Patricia Grace King 鈥�89, author of Those Who Vanish, and moderator Esther Harder 鈥�03.

Golden Alumni Luncheon

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.

The Inaugural Evening: An All-Black Affair

Yoder Arena took on an air of elegance on Oct. 9 as donors and other university supporters gathered for The Inaugural Evening: An All-Black Affair, a gala celebrating 黑料正能量鈥檚 history.

黑料正能量 Athletics Hall of Honor

Four former student-athletes were inducted into the 黑料正能量 Athletics Hall of Honor on Oct. 9. The 25th annual ceremony, held at MainStage Theater, featured tributes to 2026 honorees Sarah Roth Shank 鈥�10, Ryan Eshleman-Robles 鈥�13, Hannah Chappell-Dick 鈥�16, and Jess (Rheinheimer) Bishop 鈥�16.

A Cappella Collective

The night wrapped up with an a cappella concert at Lehman Auditorium, where local groups featuring many 黑料正能量 alumni joined forces for a performance.

The Investiture of the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus

Beginning at the 10th hour of the 10th day of the 10th month of 黑料正能量鈥檚 110th year, an investiture ceremony in Yoder Arena formally inaugurated the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as the university鈥檚 10th president and first Black president.

黑料正能量 TenTalks

黑料正能量 hosted its annual TenTalks event Saturday afternoon, featuring Alumni of the Year Eric Brubaker 鈥�01 and Trent Wagler 鈥�02 of The Steel Wheels, Distinguished Service Award recipient Cynthia Lapp 鈥�86, and Outstanding Young Alum Award recipient Kirk Livers 鈥�11. Each had 10 minutes to impact, influence, and inspire the crowd.

Royal City Celebration

The sound of Americana and folk rock music filled the 黑料正能量 Front Lawn on Saturday afternoon as The Steel Wheels performed at the third annual Royal City Celebration. It marked the first time the alumni-fronted band had performed on campus since the 2017 Centennial Homecoming celebration. The band, which has performed for more than 20 years, will make its on Sunday.

As he listened to the music, John Shenk 鈥�71 remarked on the lineup of events during Homecoming and Inauguration Weekend.

鈥淵esterday, with the three events I was at, I thought, 鈥楬ow could they improve from that today?鈥欌�� said Shenk, who also attended the Golden Alumni Luncheon, the All-Black Affair, and the a cappella concert. 鈥淲ell, they totally outdid it!鈥�

Beginning at the 10th hour of the 10th day of the 10th month of 黑料正能量鈥檚 110th year, an investiture ceremony in Yoder Arena on Saturday formally inaugurated the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as the university鈥檚 10th president and first Black president.

Among those gathered were members of the 黑料正能量 Board of Trustees, three presidents emeriti, university and community leaders, members of Dr. Dycus鈥� sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Inc., and delegates representing 30 institutions of learning and faith.

The Rev. Jane Hoober Peifer 鈥�74, MDiv 鈥�97, chair of the 黑料正能量 Board of Trustees, reflected on the journey that brought Dr. Dycus to the presidency.

鈥淗ow grateful we are to God for bringing Dr. Dycus to 黑料正能量 seven years ago,鈥� she said. 鈥淧reparing her and us, even though none of us knew it at the time. Preparing all of us for this milestone dedication and celebration in the life of our beloved school. 鈥� This is a momentous day.鈥�

The Rev. Glen Guyton, executive director of Mennonite Church USA, delivered the invocation. Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, who in 2016 became the first Black woman elected to City Council and to serve as mayor, reflected on the history being made on Saturday.

鈥淭hink of the young Black girls who will see you, Shannon, and say, 鈥楽he looks like me,鈥� or 鈥業 can do that, too,鈥欌�� Reed said. 鈥淭hey will see your leadership, your faith, and your courage and imagine new possibilities for their own lives. Shannon, you have earned this moment.鈥�

Dr. Dycus, who joined 黑料正能量 as dean of students in 2019, held several leadership positions in student affairs before becoming interim president in July 2025. She began her five-year term as the university鈥檚 10th president on July 1, 2026.

The Rev. Dr. Charisse Gillet, president of Lexington Theological Seminary, offered her greetings to the 黑料正能量 community. 鈥淭oday, we honor a leader formed at the vital intersection of church and academy, a minister and an educator whose vocation has been shaped by faith, learning, and service,鈥� she said. 鈥溾�rom these communities she has learned not only how to belong, but how to create belonging for others. 鈥� You have a leader who joins theological hope with clear-eyed pragmatism.鈥�

Delivering the campus greetings were Student Government Association Co-Presidents Esme King Martin and Davis Bert, Staff Senate Co-President Nicole Litwiller ’19, MA ’20, and Faculty Senate Co-Presidents Dr. Heike Peckruhn MA ’04 and Dr. Paul Yoder ’06, MA ’11. Board member Dr. Stephen Kriss ’94 gave the charge to the president and Dr. Rebecca Stoltzfus, president of Goshen College, gave the charge to the 黑料正能量 community.

Dr. Dycus also is the first woman of color to lead any Anabaptist-founded college or university in the United States, Stoltzfus said.

鈥淚 speak on behalf of all five of the presidents of your Mennonite Church USA higher education colleagues,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e feel deeply blessed to work with President Dycus as our new colleague. When she speaks, we listen.鈥�

Dr. David Berry, associate professor of music, performed a musical selection. The Rev. Charles Webb offered a prayer of dedication and blessing.

In her presidential address, 鈥淭ogether and Becoming: Moving in Formation,鈥� Dr. Dycus recounted her first experiences of the Shenandoah Valley. Nearly a decade ago, while on sabbatical from pastoring at First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis, she enrolled at a spiritual direction program at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in the summer of 2017. She had never driven through mountains and remembered feeling both awe and fear.

As she gripped the steering wheel and navigated the winding mountain roads along U.S. 33, wondering whether to turn back, she spotted a flock of birds flying overhead. They flew in formation, heading in the same direction she was, as if guiding her forward.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have known that the road toward a spiritual direction program would eventually lead me here, to this university, to this community, and now the privilege of serving as its 10th president,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 certainly didn鈥檛 imagine standing here today, but when I think about 黑料正能量 now, I still feel something of what I felt during that first drive into Harrisonburg: awe and gratitude.鈥�

Reflecting on the stories and people that have shaped 黑料正能量, its strengths and challenges, and the students who discover their gifts and callings here, Dr. Dycus called on the community to consider what faithfulness will require of them.

鈥淪ometimes the road turns in ways you can鈥檛 see,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here will be turns ahead for us. When those moments come and when we find ourselves gripping the wheel, wishing we could see farther ahead, look again at the mountains and the birds. The mountains remind us that we are rooted in a story that is carried across generations, and that flock reminds us that we can adjust the formation without losing the destination.鈥�

Watch a recording of the ceremony below!

Eric Brubaker 鈥�01

Brubaker is a founding member of The Steel Wheels, which has performed at venues and festivals across the country for over two decades. Through the band, he hosts the Red Wing Roots Music Festival and Red Wing Academy, a four-day strings camp for youth. In 2024, he and his wife, Peggy 鈥�00, formed a nonprofit to provide scholarships to academy students.

A tune is an ephemeral thing that lasts only as long as it鈥檚 being played, and it鈥檚 never played exactly the same way twice, Brubaker said.

鈥淗ow can something so malleable and fragile last so long?鈥� he asked.

Brubaker described how, as recording technology became more portable, folklorists traveled to rural communities to document the music of banjo and fiddle players, hoping to preserve a uniquely American musical tradition.

鈥淭hey treated the tunes and even the practitioners as artifacts, something to be kept, untouched, and collected,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut this music was never fixed. It was always an evolving ferment of sounds and cultures.鈥�

Brubaker recalled learning violin through the Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music program and playing his first fiddle tunes on the 黑料正能量 campus. After years of performing across the country with The Steel Wheels and other roots musicians, he said he has come to understand traditional music as a living, evolving language.

鈥淚t’s a tradition of gathering, remembering, dancing, and sharing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s a tradition worth preserving but you can’t preserve it by keeping it still.鈥�

Trent Wagler 鈥�02

Wagler is a founding member of The Steel Wheels, which has toured internationally and will on Sunday. In 2025, he co-founded Rocktown House of Music, a community music school in Harrisonburg. He previously taught songwriting at 黑料正能量 and holds degrees in theater and peace, justice, and conflict studies.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when music venues across the country shut down, The Steel Wheels began writing and recording personalized songs for fans and friends through a project called Over two years, the band produced more than 120 original songs.

鈥淲e kind of became this little song factory within the band where one day we鈥檇 be writing a song for somebody鈥檚 anniversary, the next day it would be for somebody鈥檚 birthday or maybe for a memorial,鈥� Wagler said.

With recent advances in artificial intelligence, anyone can now generate a song without contacting a musician, he said. But producing a finished song was never the point of the project.

鈥淭he goal of our project was never to deliver the perfect song,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was to connect with someone鈥檚 story, to sit with that, to process it into a song in our own little Steel Wheels way, and it鈥檚 that process I think these tools could be really stealing from us.鈥�

Wagler compared the creative process to taking a memorable vacation and hanging a photograph from the trip on the wall.

鈥淵ou have that picture, but you don鈥檛 just want the picture,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou want to have gone on the trip. You want to have had the adventure.鈥�

Cynthia Lapp 鈥�86

A music education graduate, Lapp taught music, performed in the Washington D.C. area, and helped direct the 黑料正能量 Washington Semester program. She also worked with the Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER) and graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary in 2003. She has served as pastor of Hyattsville Mennonite Church in Maryland since 2003.

Lapp spoke about the importance of showing up for others, particularly those whose voices and experiences are too often overlooked.

Whether supporting LGBTQ+ members of her congregation, caring for her children, standing alongside vulnerable and marginalized communities in the Washington D.C. area, advocating for Palestinians, or supporting immigrant neighbors, she said, 鈥渟howing up is a matter of wholeness for all of us.鈥�

Lapp reflected on the Mennonite tradition of supporting others within the congregation and the importance of extending that same commitment beyond church walls.

鈥淲e鈥檙e beginning to understand that our own peace and liberation is woven together with our neighbors near and far,鈥� she said.

Showing up, she emphasized, doesn’t require having all the answers or taking the lead.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 even mean we have to be in the streets,鈥� she said. 鈥淪howing up means we are committed to our collective liberation. Our shared futures depend on each of us showing up.鈥�

Kirk Livers 鈥�11

After graduating with a degree in biochemistry and a minor in music, Livers worked for the Humane Society of Washington County (Maryland) before earning a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Shenandoah University in 2018. A nationally certified physician assistant, he has served patients in his hometown of Hagerstown, Maryland, since 2020, providing care in a medically underserved community.

Livers recalled arriving at 黑料正能量 in 2007 with his 鈥渨hole life planned out.鈥� After graduating with a biochemistry degree in 2011, he intended to attend medical school and become a physician.

鈥淗owever, as we all know, life happens,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd quickly, my neat and detailed plan was derailed by the great equalizer, disease.鈥�

Around the time of his graduation, his mother began experiencing shoulder pain that initially seemed like a cold settling into her body. The pain spread and eventually interfered with everyday activities. She was diagnosed with lupus and began trying different medications to manage her symptoms.

During one medical appointment, Livers recalled, a provider stopped taking notes, took his mother’s hands, and expressed sympathy for what she was experiencing.

鈥淚t was a really simple gesture, but it was the first time that someone beyond her family had shown her compassion and empathy for what she was feeling,鈥� Livers said. 鈥淪he didn鈥檛 dismiss my mom or label her as drug-seeking. She simply listened.鈥�

That moment helped shape the kind of medical professional he wanted to become.

鈥淚 knew that day that if I ever was able to make it as a medical provider, I wanted my patients to feel the exact way my mom and I felt at that appointment.鈥�

Livers said his experiences at 黑料正能量 strengthened his empathy and helped him recognize the importance of connecting with patients as people first.

鈥淭here is far more that connect us as humans than divides us, and my patients show me that every day,鈥� he said. 鈥淩emember that we are all connected, regardless of our circumstances. To me, practicing medicine is remembering that we are all a part of this community and we must remember to care for one another, just as 黑料正能量 cared for me.鈥�

Watch a recording of the event below!

Sarah Roth Shank 鈥�10, field hockey

Presented by teammate Kristina Landis Yoder 鈥�08

Roth Shank brought energy and laughter to practices and games, uplifted and encouraged her teammates, and brought a combination of positivity and tough love that elevated play and team morale, Landis Yoder said.

鈥淪he sprinted to every ball, her small passing game was strong, and she was feisty in the circle,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he genuinely found joy in the game and her determination was contagious.鈥�

During her four seasons on the team, Roth Shank helped lead the team to four consecutive ODAC championship game appearances. After graduating with a degree in history, she served as assistant coach of the field hockey team and earned an MA in conflict transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding in 2014. In 2017, she and her husband moved to New Zealand, where she completed a PhD in public policy. They now live in Columbus, Ohio, where she teaches at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Accepting the honor, Roth Shank said she was 鈥済enuinely surprised鈥� to hear she was considered for it.

鈥淚 have never been the most skilled on the field,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been the highest goal scorer, nor broken records for defensive saves. 鈥� However, in reflecting and preparing for this speech, there is one label that came to mind that I will own. I am a workhorse. I am committed, competitive, and driven. When I think back on my team, it was full of workhorses like me.鈥�

Ryan Eshleman-Robles 鈥�13, men鈥檚 soccer

Presented by former coach Roger Mast 鈥�85

Defenders are rarely inducted into the Hall of Honor, Mast said, with the recognition typically going to attacking players. But Eshleman-Robles鈥� legacy at 黑料正能量 extends far beyond the goals he prevented, games he played, and records he helped establish.

鈥淗is legacy is defined by the way he competed, the way he represented his teammates and his university, and the lasting impact he made on the 黑料正能量 soccer program,鈥� Mast said. 鈥淗e helped create a culture in which teammates challenged one another to become better players and better people.鈥�

A double major in biology and philosophy and theology, Eshleman-Robles appeared in 77 matches as a center back in his four seasons. In 2012, he was named the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He recently completed his PhD at Texas Tech University and now teaches English at Eastern Mennonite School and coaches its varsity boys soccer team.

Eshleman-Robles, in his speech at the ceremony, recounted some of the mistakes from the field that still linger in his mind.

鈥淏eing a defender is sort of an inherently negative thing,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e always in worst-case scenario mode, thinking, 鈥榃hat is the worst thing that could happen and how do I keep that from happening?鈥� You expect the worst, and you definitely don鈥檛 expect a call from the Hall of Honor.鈥�

鈥淭hanks for helping me remember that I was who I wanted to be, at least most of the time,鈥� he said.

Hannah Chappell-Dick 鈥�16, women鈥檚 cross-country and track and field

Presented by former coach Jason Lewkowicz

Lewkowicz recalled his first season coaching at 黑料正能量 in 2011 and recruiting Chappell-Dick, whom he described as 鈥淚vy League caliber, athletically and academically.鈥� The former coach, who now serves as director of athletics for Bethel University (Indiana), said he鈥檚 often asked to define success.

鈥淢y answer is predicated on being faithful to what鈥檚 been entrusted to you,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I think of someone who modeled that, who was faithful with what was entrusted and continues to be, Hannah is one of those people.鈥�

A biology major, Chappell-Dick qualified twice for the NCAA national championships in cross-country. In track and field, she won 11 ODAC championships and qualified for five national championships. She now serves as head cross-country coach and assistant men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 track and field coach at Amherst College.

Chappell-Dick read entries from a running log she kept as a student. From her first day of college training in 2012 to her last workout at 黑料正能量 in May 2016, she shared her experiences navigating obstacles and recovering from injuries, running to clear her head, forming friendships with teammates, and competing for championships.

鈥淚 think about everything we experienced in our sport,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll the lessons we keep learning about the world and about ourselves. The confidence gained and shattered and rebuilt again. The failure that didn鈥檛 break us. I feel so fortified for life by all this failure. I have a framework now for facing hard things.鈥�

Jess (Rheinheimer) Bishop 鈥�16, women鈥檚 basketball

Presented by former coach Kevin Griffin 鈥�93

Griffin shared four stories illustrating Bishop’s character, from watching her play in high school while recruiting her older sister, Steph, to her first game off the bench, when she scored 14 points against Messiah College. He connected Bishop’s humility to Proverbs 27:2: 鈥淟et someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.鈥�

鈥淪omehow, with all your humility and all your abilities and all the class that anybody has ever played with, you managed to win every individual accolade you could win and won a bunch of games as a teammate and you let other people praise you and you didn鈥檛 call any attention to yourself,鈥� he said.

A nursing major from Manheim, Pennsylvania, Bishop helped lead the Royals to an 84-26 record and two ODAC Tournament championship game appearances during her four years at 黑料正能量. She was awarded the Jostens Trophy, which recognizes the top Division III basketball player nationwide, and finished her career with the third-most points in program history.

She shared some of the moments she鈥檒l never forget from her time on the team, including the early morning workouts, bus rides, and team dinners at the caf. She also dedicated the honor to her mom, who was diagnosed with colon cancer during her senior year of high school and underwent chemotherapy treatments for six years before passing away in 2018.

鈥淪he was 黑料正能量鈥檚 biggest fan and sacrificed so much to get to all of our home games,鈥� Bishop said. 鈥淲atching us play basketball was one of her true joys in life and I truly believe that kept her fighting for all the years she did. She was a proud Royal and I couldn鈥檛 accept a selection to the Hall of Honor without mentioning her and my dad.鈥�

The event, presented exclusively by Everence, featured live music from the 黑料正能量 Jazz Collective, hors d鈥檕euvres from Pioneer College Caterers, beverages from Bluestone Vineyard, and a program honoring the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as 黑料正能量鈥檚 first Black president while recognizing the people whose work helped make the historic moment possible.

Braydon Hoover 鈥�11, MAOL 鈥�21, vice president of enrollment and marketing, and Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president for academic affairs, reflected on 黑料正能量鈥檚 history and vision. In what Hoover called 鈥渢he most fabulous Friday night 黑料正能量 has ever seen,鈥� the gala kicked off a weekend that 鈥済ives new meaning to the 鈥楽hannon鈥檇oah Valley.鈥�

黑料正能量 made history in 1948 when it became the first historically white college in Virginia to admit Black students, Hoover said.

鈥淎nd we get to make history again,鈥� Willingham added, 鈥渁s we inaugurate the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as 黑料正能量鈥檚 first Black president.鈥�

Hoover and Willingham emphasized the importance of preserving 黑料正能量鈥檚 identity while embracing change.

鈥淲e can make sure that the next generation inherits an 黑料正能量 rooted enough to know who we are, courageous enough to keep becoming, and welcoming enough that everyone who arrives here knows that they belong,鈥� Willingham said.

Sharon Salinas Morales, an MA in education student, shared the story of her journey from Managua, Nicaragua, to 黑料正能量 in 2019. Growing up in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, she learned early on that education could transform lives and uplift communities.

鈥淔or as long as I can remember, earning my master鈥檚 degree was a dream. I carry that dream close to my heart. Today, I鈥檓 thrilled to say that I鈥檓 almost there,鈥� said Salinas Morales, who expects to graduate in May.

Nathan Leopard, who joined 黑料正能量 as vice president for advancement this summer, recalled seeing in Dycus a conviction that the university鈥檚 values should remain central to its future.

鈥淚 saw a leader who could honestly look at the challenges before us and speak with hope about what this university can become, a leader whose laugh can shift the mood of an entire room, a leader who understands that an education should prepare people to make a living, but also to make a difference,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I wanted to be a part of that.鈥�

President Dycus invited guests to embrace the joy of the historic occasion and recognize the generations of people who made it possible.

鈥淚 think about all the people who have loved 黑料正能量,鈥� she said, 鈥渨ho taught here, studied here, prayed here, who gave what they could because they believed something good would grow here. We are living in the reach of their generosity.鈥�

鈥淭onight we celebrate,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o much of our work asks us to look ahead or look down, but tonight, I want us to look around and look up and say, 鈥業 am grateful that we are here, that we are present, and that there is joy in this room.鈥欌��

The evening concluded with a ceremonial toast led by J.B. Miller ’70 and John Daniels, who first met Dycus nearly 20 years ago when she was a 26-year-old seminary student interning at First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis. She would serve the congregation for the next 12 years, including as co-pastor, before leaving for 黑料正能量 in 2019.

Miller acknowledged the challenges and responsibilities that come with leading a university.

鈥淏eing president is an extraordinary privilege, but it鈥檚 also hard work,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he hours are long, the decisions are complicated, and everyone has an opinion. It鈥檚 just like church but with a few more committees. We鈥檙e not expecting miracles, but we鈥檙e expecting excellence, because we know what you鈥檙e capable of.鈥�

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!

黑料正能量 welcomed author Patricia Grace King 鈥�89 back to campus Oct. 8 for a Writers Read featuring selections from her new book, Those Who Vanish.

The event, moderated by Esther Harder 鈥�03 and co-sponsored by 黑料正能量鈥檚 Spanish and English departments, was part of Homecoming and Inauguration Weekend.

King, who taught students including Harder and Dean Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler 鈥�02 as a professor in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Language and Literature Department from 2000-03, now lives in Durham, England. Her short story collection, published last month by the University of Pittsburgh Press, won the 2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize.

The eight fictional stories explore the intersection of Guatemalan and U.S. cultures against the backdrop of Guatemala鈥檚 political history. The collection follows Guatemalan citizens and North American expatriates whose lives become entangled amid war and draws on King鈥檚 experiences living in the country after graduating from 黑料正能量.

鈥淚 owe a lot of this book to 黑料正能量鈥檚 cross-cultural program,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 pretty much how it started.鈥�

Good fiction can awaken readers to the wider world, King said.

鈥淚t gives us a wider experience of humanity. It makes us aware that our experience isn鈥檛 the only experience, and that we鈥檙e not just one thing. The world isn鈥檛 just one thing and people are many things. I hope this book can do that.鈥�

Watch a recording of the event below!

鈥淚t is wonderful to look around this room and see people who care deeply about this university and our community,鈥� said Deanna Reed, Harrisonburg mayor and 黑料正能量鈥檚 director of alumni engagement and community connections. 鈥淓ach of you brings something valuable to our relationship with 黑料正能量, and we are grateful you are here.鈥�

Kathy Moran, founder and owner of Kathy Moran Wealth Group, praised 黑料正能量 for doing a 鈥渕arvelous job鈥� of supporting first-generation college students like herself. This fall, for the first time in the university鈥檚 history, more than half of incoming first-year students are first-generation college students.

鈥淲hen Mayor Reed approached me about sponsoring this luncheon, I didn鈥檛 hesitate,鈥� Moran said. 鈥淚 love what 黑料正能量 represents, I love its inclusive, belonging perspective. I love its programs and the quality of its education, and, in particular, I see Dr. Dycus as an incredible leader in our community, so I was on board right from the start.鈥�

Gil Colman, owner of Colman Engineering in Harrisonburg, also attended the luncheon. In the early 1990s, he tutored students in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Spanish department while taking classes through the university鈥檚 Intensive English Program.

鈥満诹险芰� is a great local school,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are so many programs at 黑料正能量 that benefit our community.鈥�

黑料正能量 President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus introduced the theme of her inauguration, 鈥淭ogether and Becoming,鈥� and spoke about the importance of community partnerships in shaping generations of students and graduates. 黑料正能量 students need an education, but they also need places to put it into practice, she said, thanking partners for employing students, investing in 黑料正能量, sharing their expertise, and believing in the university.

鈥淲hen you say 鈥榶es鈥� to a student worker, an intern, a clinical placement, a student teacher, a job shadow, or simply make time for a conversation where you talk about your own leadership journey, you become a part of a student鈥檚 education,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ometimes that conversation plays a huge part in their decision to stay here in the Valley.鈥�

Nathan Leopard, vice president for advancement, said he joined 黑料正能量 this summer because he felt called to 鈥渟erve something different.鈥�

鈥満诹险芰� doesn鈥檛 just prepare our students for successful careers, though we absolutely do that, too,鈥� he said. 鈥満诹险芰� helps cultivate the whole person: professional, spiritual, interpersonal, and much more.鈥�

One example of that impact is AJ Jalal, founder and CEO of AJ鈥檚 Barbershop in Harrisonburg, who took business management classes at 黑料正能量 before opening the barbershop with his wife, Grace 鈥�18, in 2019.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great that 黑料正能量 has a 70% retention rate of people staying in the Valley,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y wife and I both decided to stay here, and I think one of the main reasons was that 黑料正能量 gave us the confidence and care we needed.鈥�

鈥淓verywhere you look, there鈥檚 someone who went to 黑料正能量 who adds a lot of value to this community,鈥� he said.

During the rainy season in Eswatini, the Nkomazi (Komati) River floods, submerging the low-lying footbridge used by residents of the rural kaNdeva and Hlalakahle communities and making it impassable.

For decades, the footbridge was the only way for the roughly 1,500 residents of those communities to cross the river and access the markets, healthcare clinic, and church on the other side. Schoolchildren, who relied on the bridge to get to school, often waited three to four weeks for the river to lower before they could safely cross and return to class.

The aging bridge had fallen into disrepair. Wide gaps between its weathered wooden planks, which dangled just above the surface of the river, made crossing dangerous. Its tattered fencing also posed a risk.

鈥淎nd it swings and sways terribly,鈥� said one local mother in a about the bridge. 鈥淲e have feared that our children will fall into the river.鈥�

That all changed this summer when a group of 黑料正能量 students and alumni joined university students from Iowa, Western Ontario, and Rutgers, staff from the Engineers in Action (EIA) nonprofit, and engineers and contractors from Eswatini to design and build a new suspended footbridge across the river.

The 300-foot Tintfutfwini Bridge, located about 65 feet upstream from the old bridge, can be safely used year-round and can hold more than 88,000 pounds. It crosses the river more than a dozen feet above the high-water mark, about 15 feet higher than the old bridge.

黑料正能量 senior Isaac Greenleaf fills out paperwork as members of the bridge-building team construct one of the new footbridge鈥檚 stone-and-brick towers along the Nkomazi (Komati) River in Eswatini. The old footbridge can be seen in the background.

LEFT: Levi Stutzman 鈥�26 helps install the colorful fencing along the new suspended footbridge across the Nkomazi (Komati) River in Eswatini. RIGHT: Left to right: Isaac Greenleaf, Moravia Satterfield, and Stutzman stand beside the newly completed bridge.

Students Isaac Greenleaf and Moravia Satterfield, who are members of the 黑料正能量 Bridge Builders club, and engineering alumnus Levi Stutzman 鈥�26 spent nearly eight weeks, from May 25-July 17, completing the project in the Hhohho region of Eswatini. The landlocked country is bordered by South Africa and Mozambique and, until 2018, was known as Swaziland. They also received mentorship from alumni bridge builders Luke Wheeler 鈥�23 and Mana Acosta 鈥�25, on-site Bridge Corps members with EIA.

While working on the project, the students lived at the primary school and formed connections with local residents. On weekends, they attended youth soccer games and participated in community events.

Satterfield, a sophomore engineering major from Ashland, Missouri, and the project鈥檚 safety manager, said a celebration after the bridge was completed featured dancing, speeches, and a ceremonial crossing by residents and a member of parliament.

鈥淎 lot of people were really excited about this bridge,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey told me they had been waiting for this moment for the past six years.鈥�

Greenleaf, a senior applied math, computer science, and engineering major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, served as project design manager. He said the experience reaffirmed his passion for engineering.

鈥淭his is such a great opportunity to help people who need it the most, and to be able to use the skills I have for that purpose is just great,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy that all this hard work I鈥檝e put in will help people of this community for 50 years and more.鈥�

黑料正能量 engineering students and alumni help construct the footbridge in Eswatini, Africa, this summer.

The project brought together the students鈥� engineering knowledge with the construction expertise of professionals from the surrounding communities, including four masons and a site coordinator.

鈥淭hey had the physical skill and knowledge to build this bridge and we had the funding and engineering experience,鈥� Greenleaf said. 鈥淚t was a very collaborative project.鈥�

That collaboration also means local residents understand how the bridge was built and can make repairs when needed.

The project taught Greenleaf how quickly engineers have to adapt when problems arise. Shortly after arriving at the site, the team discovered that groundwater had flooded the bridge foundation. Students and engineers dug trenches to drain the water.

鈥淎 lot of things can go wrong on a construction site,鈥� Greenleaf said. 鈥淚t was nice to get real-world experience that I wouldn鈥檛 get in a classroom so I can learn about some of those issues and how to work through them. It鈥檚 nice to get that experience designing something and seeing how it actually gets built.鈥�

Satterfield, a recipient of 黑料正能量鈥檚 National Science Foundation S-STEM Scholarship, agreed. She said the experience sparked an interest in global development engineering projects.

鈥淪eeing the bridge from beginning to completion was a really valuable experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 got to see it at every stage and we were able to help with all of it. It was a very hands-on process.鈥�

Members of the bridge-building team celebrate the completion of the new suspended footbridge across the Nkomazi (Komati) River in Eswatini.

Stutzman, an engineer with JZ Engineering in Harrisonburg, served as project manager. He had helped build another bridge in Eswatini in 2024, during his sophomore year at 黑料正能量. Some of his favorite memories from this latest trip involved building relationships with residents and schoolchildren.

鈥淲e got to play netball with the kids and give them shoulder rides and eat and play with them,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e spent a lot of time with the people who are actually going to use the bridge every day.鈥�

In January, Stutzman will return to Eswatini to spend a year working as a bridge fellow with Engineers in Action. 黑料正能量 will likely send another group there in summer 2028.

The 黑料正能量 Bridge Builders club, a chapter of Engineers in Action, collects donations throughout the year to support its work with projects like this one. Support the club and its cause by.

Watch a video of the bridge project below!

Read more:
Eswatini Daily News:

The fourth annual Royal Women Soiree drew more than 60 students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the university and welcomed six new members into Royal Women for 黑料正能量.

This year鈥檚 inductees were:

• Dr. Katherine Evans, professor of teacher education
• Marci Frederick, former director of libraries, who was honored posthumously
• Renee Leap 鈥�83, senior associate director of financial aid
• Dr. Melody M. Pannell 鈥�97, GC 鈥�19 (restorative justice), former professor and director of multicultural student services
• Karen Moshier-Shenk 鈥�73, former senior associate director of advancement
• Audrey Shenk 鈥�86, systems librarian

Each inductee was introduced by someone special in their life and presented with an honorary Royal Women pin and ribbon.

Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, 黑料正能量鈥檚 director of alumni engagement and community connections and leader of Royal Women for 黑料正能量, said the six honorees were selected for their contributions to the university and beyond.

鈥淲e felt like this was a good group of women we could celebrate in 2026,鈥� Reed said.

Launched in fall 2023, Royal Women for 黑料正能量 builds connections, celebrates women鈥檚 leadership, and raises financial aid for 黑料正能量 students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a time that we gather and network,鈥� Reed said. 鈥淲e have women who have been a part of Eastern Mennonite for decades, and then we have younger women as well. There are all different generations, which I love.鈥�

One of those connections stood out to Reed as a highlight of the evening.

Celeste Thomas, director of multicultural student services and a 2025 Royal Women honoree, inducted Pannell, who previously led multicultural student services at 黑料正能量 and, as Reed described, 鈥渂asically paved the way for Celeste.鈥�

鈥淐eleste talked about how, if it weren鈥檛 for Melody Pannell, she wouldn鈥檛 be in the position she is today or doing the work she does with Student Life,鈥� Reed said. 鈥淚 thought that was a very special moment for the two of them and for 黑料正能量.鈥�

Pannell, now director of healthcare leadership education and community wellness at UVA Health in Charlottesville, described her induction as a 鈥渄eeply significant and full-circle moment.鈥�

鈥淚t is an honor to be recognized among a community of women whose gifts, knowledge, and leadership have shaped 黑料正能量 and empowered our students to become their most authentic selves in service to the world,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am humbled to stand alongside them and to continue contributing to the legacy of resilience, justice, and compassionate leadership that defines 黑料正能量.鈥�

Pannell also is founder and CEO of Destiny鈥檚 Daughters Inc., a therapeutic and spiritual mentoring program focused on the healing of Black women and girls, and serves as board chair of Anabaptist World Inc.

She shared the moment with her niece, Kaziah Tillman, a first-year student at 黑料正能量.

鈥淗aving her present to witness this milestone made the experience even more meaningful, reminding me of the enduring impact of our work and the bright future ahead for 黑料正能量鈥檚 young women leaders,鈥� Pannell said.

The ceremony featured remarks from 黑料正能量 President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, a member of the inaugural class of Royal Women inductees in 2023, and an introduction from Nathan Leopard, vice president for advancement.

For Shenk and Leap, both of whom have served 黑料正能量 for 40 years, the recognition also offered a chance to reflect on their long careers at the university.

鈥淚t was an honor to be recognized for 40 years of service and to be part of such a distinguished group of inductees,鈥� Shenk said. 鈥淚 was glad that library staff were well represented at the event.鈥�

Leap said the relationships she has formed during her career in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Financial Aid Office have shaped her both personally and professionally.

鈥淚 have been challenged, encouraged, and enriched by those relationships and have evolved tremendously as a person and professional,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am indebted to and thankful for the 黑料正能量 community, and will treasure this honor.鈥�

黑料正能量 Royal Women for 黑料正能量

Royal Women for 黑料正能量 is a networking and philanthropy initiative led by Reed and co-chairs Louise Otto Hostetter 鈥�79 and Kay Nussbaum 鈥�78. The initiative seeks to inspire visible leadership, bold investments, and empowering networks in support of 黑料正能量鈥檚 future, with a goal of raising $70,000 for student scholarships.

Last year, Royal Women awarded its first student scholarship.

Learn more about the initiative at emu.edu/royal-women.

Past Royal Women inductees

2025

• Isabel Castillo Ressler 鈥�07, MA 鈥�17
• Deirdre Longacre Smeltzer 鈥�87
• Sara Monger, class of 鈥�27 (posthumously)
• Celeste Thomas

2024

• Lois Bowman Kreider 鈥�60
• Julie Haushalter 鈥�03
• Margaret 鈥淧eggy鈥� Webb Christopher 鈥�54 (posthumously)
• Theda Good 鈥�06
• Noussaiba 鈥淣oussa鈥� Garti 鈥�25

2023

• Susan Schultz Huxman
• Tynisha Willingham
• Lee Snyder
• Esther Augsburger 鈥�72
• Hannah Mack Lapp 鈥�66
• Pat Swartzendruber
• Sheryl Wyse 鈥�68
• Beryl Brubaker 鈥�64
• Dorothy Jean Weaver 鈥�72
• Nancy Heisey 鈥�94
• Sara Wenger Shenk 鈥�75
• Leymah Gbowee MA 鈥�07
• Mim Mumaw 鈥�61
• Kay Nussbaum 鈥�78
• Louise Otto Hostetter 鈥�79
• Shannon W. Dycus
• Jackie Font Guzman
• Carrie Bert 鈥�97

黑料正能量 is celebrating the start of its 110th academic year. Its new leader, the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, will be installed as the university鈥檚 10th president at an investiture on Oct. 10 (that鈥檚 10/10!) at 10 a.m. And that鈥檚 not to mention all the other events that rank a 10 out of 10.

Whether it鈥檚 class reunions, program and affinity gatherings, or the perennially popular TenTalks and Hall of Honor induction ceremony, everyone鈥檚 favorite Homecoming activities are back.

But with the addition of several inauguration events and a live performance by The Steel Wheels on the Front Lawn, this year鈥檚 lineup is even more special. 

Here are a few highlights of the weekend. See the full schedule at emu.edu/homecoming. 

The homecoming website is your complete source for events, updates, and registration.

Look for the icon that denotes a livestreamed event on the . Athletic events will be streamed through .听

*Registration required
鈼哖residential Inauguration Event
Livestreamed on YouTube

Friday, Oct. 9

Golden Alumni Luncheon*
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Martin Chapel (Seminary Building)
Alumni who attended 黑料正能量 50 or more years ago (classes of 1976 and earlier) will gather for a program and luncheon that includes remarks from President Dycus and the induction of the Class of 鈥�76. Tickets are $25. 

The Inaugural Evening: An All-Black Affair鈼�
Presented exclusively by Everence
5-7 p.m.
Yoder Arena (University Commons)
This invitation-only appreciation event for donors, VIPs, and friends of 黑料正能量 features student poetry, live jazz music, and heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Hall of Honor Ceremony*
7:30 p.m.
MainStage Theater (University Commons 170)
Celebrate the 2026 inductees of the 黑料正能量 Athletic Hall of Honor: field hockey midfielder Sarah Roth Shank 鈥�10, soccer center back Ryan Eshleman-Robles 鈥�13, cross-country and track athlete Hannah Chappell-Dick 鈥�16, and basketball forward Jess Rheinheimer Bishop 鈥�16.

A Capella Collective*
8 p.m.
Lehman Auditorium
Enjoy an evening of music featuring a special collaboration of local a cappella groups, many of them led by 黑料正能量 alumni. Tickets are $15.

Saturday, Oct. 10

Investiture of President Shannon W. Dycus鈼�
10 a.m.-noon
Yoder Arena
Celebrate the formal installation of 黑料正能量鈥檚 10th president with a Presidential Address, musical selections, and the Prayer of Blessing.

Food Trucks
Noon-6 p.m.
Thomas Plaza and the Front Lawn
Enjoy delicious eats from Tacos El Primo, Grilled Cheese Mania, Catreas BBQ, and Branch’s Soft Serve Ice Cream.

TenTalks
2-3 p.m.
Martin Chapel
The recipients of 黑料正能量鈥檚 2026 Alumni Awards share 10-minute talks and answer questions in a TED Talk-style format. This year鈥檚 presenters are Jonathan 鈥淜irk鈥� Livers 鈥�11 (Outstanding Young Alum), Cynthia 鈥淐indy鈥� Lapp 鈥�86 (Distinguished Service Award), and Eric Brubaker 鈥�01 and Trent Wagler 鈥�02 (Alumni of the Year). 

Royal City Celebration
4-6 p.m.
Thomas Plaza and the Front Lawn
Come hungry, bring your energy, and celebrate together at 黑料正能量鈥檚 biggest Homecoming gathering, featuring local food trucks, endless entertainment, and a spectacular live performance by The Steel Wheels! Ticket prices vary. RSVP requested.

Meet Me on the Quad: President鈥檚 Student Quad Party鈼�
9 p.m.
Woods Quad
President Dycus hosts a celebration for the student body.

Visit emu.edu/homecoming to learn about Saturday鈥檚 other events, including class reunions and after-parties, athletic events, planetarium viewings, the annual alumni baseball game, and when to stop by the Front Lawn for 黑料正能量 gear.

Sunday, Oct. 11

Homecoming Worship Service
10 a.m. 
Martin Chapel
Dr. Benjamin Bergey and the Chamber Singers lead worship in this reflective and meaningful service. 

Kirk Livers 鈥�11 had been a physician assistant for just one year when COVID-19 arrived. More than a century earlier, his great-great-grandfather had treated patients during the 1918 flu pandemic. Now, Livers found himself facing a similar challenge, reading the latest research and determining what information he could share with patients.

鈥淲e were all scrambling,鈥� said Livers, who started working at in Hagerstown, Maryland, in May 2020. 鈥淚t was a quick learning curve, that鈥檚 for sure.鈥�

Livers has remained at the primary care practice ever since, caring for patients in a medically underserved community where many face significant barriers to care.

鈥淎 lot of my patients just haven鈥檛 had good healthcare, ever,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a wildcard as to who鈥檚 going to walk into my office at any given time.鈥�

For Livers, treating patients often means addressing more than a diagnosis. Many of his patients are managing chronic illnesses, mental health concerns, addiction, housing insecurity, or years of mistrust toward the healthcare system.

鈥淭hey feel like nobody is going to listen to them,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y No. 1 goal is to get them to trust me, to know I鈥檓 not going to steer them wrong, and to get them to do what I鈥檓 advising them to do for their own health.鈥�

That commitment to compassionate care earned Livers 黑料正能量鈥檚 2026 Outstanding Young Alum Award, presented annually to an alumnus or alumna whose professional achievements and Christ-like service make a significant contribution to the local, national, or global community.

鈥淚鈥檓 extremely humbled,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had the privilege of having so many brilliant and kind people in my graduating class, and I can only imagine there are so many other people before and after me who are doing wonderful things. I am beyond grateful to be recognized.鈥�

Born and raised in Hagerstown, Livers first learned about 黑料正能量 from a friend鈥檚 older brother, who had graduated and gone on to medical school. Drawn to a career in medicine, Livers visited campus and immediately felt at home.

鈥淚 knew it had a great academic program, and I knew I was going to get the education I needed to go further,鈥� he said.

As a biochemistry major in 黑料正能量鈥檚 pre-medicine program, Livers initially planned to become a physician. After graduation, however, he put those plans on hold while he cared for sick family members and worked for a nonprofit animal shelter. During that time, he discovered that a career as a physician assistant was a better fit for him.

He earned a master鈥檚 degree in physician assistant studies from Shenandoah University in 2018. He worked at a family medicine practice in Martinsburg, West Virginia, for about a year before returning to the Hagerstown area and joining Walnut Street Family Medicine, which is part of Meritus Health.

As a non-Mennonite student at 黑料正能量, Livers learned to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. He said that experience has helped him build relationships with his patients today.

鈥満诹险芰� teaches the value of community, and community isn鈥檛 just your neighborhood or even your country. It鈥檚 the global community,鈥� he said. 鈥淗aving that sense of welcoming and being inclusive to everyone definitely helps shape how I practice medicine.鈥�

Livers lives in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, with his partner, Jared, an optometrist. When he鈥檚 not caring for patients, he mentors physician assistant students from Shenandoah University.

Despite the long hours and challenges of the job, he finds the greatest reward in becoming a trusted partner in his patients鈥� care.

鈥淚鈥檝e had plenty of patients tell me, 鈥業 will only see you,鈥欌�� Livers said. 鈥淗aving that kind of bond with patients is something I鈥檒l always remember.鈥�

Livers will share his story at 黑料正能量 TenTalks, held on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. in Martin Chapel during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit emu.edu/homecoming.

Cynthia 鈥淐indy鈥� Lapp 鈥�86 may have been destined to become a Mennonite pastor.

Her parents were both Mennonite pastors, as were her grandfathers. Her husband鈥檚 father and grandfather were Mennonite pastors, too.

Despite the family tradition, Lapp didn鈥檛 always envision following in their footsteps.

鈥淚 would ask my dad, 鈥楬ow did you know you wanted to do this?鈥� and he never had a satisfactory answer for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think my children probably don鈥檛 get a satisfactory answer from me either. It鈥檚 a mysterious kind of thing.鈥�

Lapp, pastor of in suburban Maryland since 2003, is the recipient of 黑料正能量鈥檚 2026 Distinguished Service Award. The annual award recognizes alumni who exemplify the university鈥檚 emphases on Christian service and peacemaking and have made a significant impact on the lives of others.

鈥淚 was surprised. I thought they must鈥檝e sent the letter to the wrong person,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen I thought, 鈥極h, distinguished means old. It must mean I鈥檝e reached a certain age.鈥欌��

Lapp grew up in Oregon after moving from Pennsylvania in the fourth grade. As a child, she dreamed of appearing on Sesame Street.

鈥淚 thought that would be a great job because you could play with puppets and spend time with kids and act and sing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel like pastoring is like that. There are so many different things I get to do that are intriguing to me.鈥�

Those roles extend well beyond preaching. Lapp works with other faith leaders to support immigrants through the Congregation Action Network, serves as a community chaplain with the Hyattsville Police Department, and volunteers with Congregations United for Compassion and Empowerment, which operates a day center for people experiencing homelessness or financial hardship.

In August 2017, she joined nearly 100 clergy and faith leaders the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.

鈥淚 appreciate that our congregation is interested in relating to the larger community,鈥� Lapp said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about taking care of one another, which we do, but it鈥檚 also about knowing who our neighbors are outside of the church and figuring out what their needs are.鈥�

Some of her most significant ministry came through one of the most difficult chapters in Hyattsville Mennonite Church’s history.

The congregation became of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Mennonite church when it welcomed its first openly gay member in 1986. In 2005, two years after bringing an openly gay delegate to a conference meeting, the church was formally disciplined. For the next decade, Hyattsville representatives could not vote at conference meetings or serve in leadership roles, and Lapp herself was placed under review. In 2015, the Allegheny Mennonite Conference voted 72-70 to reinstate the congregation to full membership.

鈥淲e stuck around,鈥� Lapp said. 鈥淲e kept engaged with the conference, which was really hard, but it was definitely worth it. And I鈥檓 really proud of our congregation for how we navigated that.鈥�

At 黑料正能量, Lapp majored in music, sang with the Chamber Singers, and participated in the Washington Study-Service Year, now the 黑料正能量 Washington Semester. She later worked for the program from 1989-93.

鈥淭hat was very formational for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 ended up coming back to D.C. and I鈥檝e never left.鈥�

After graduating from Wesley Theological Seminary in 1998, Lapp had not intended to become a pastor. But when Hyattsville鈥檚 pastor took a sabbatical and asked her to fill in, she discovered her calling.

鈥淭hat was eye-opening for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t helped me feel that this was something I could do.鈥�

Today, Lapp and her husband, Eric Stoltzfus, live in Mount Rainier, Maryland. They have three adult children, Cecilia, Jamie 鈥�20, and Elijah.

Lapp will share her story at 黑料正能量 TenTalks, held on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. in Martin Chapel during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit聽emu.edu/homecoming.

For Trent Wagler 鈥�02, lead singer and songwriter for the folk-rock band The Steel Wheels, music is a powerful way to bring people together.

鈥淎nybody who鈥檚 been around music has had that experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淕o to a music festival in some country far away, where you don鈥檛 speak the language, and listen.鈥�

鈥淭he words don鈥檛 matter so much anymore. You鈥檙e not concerned about whether or not they鈥檙e on your side of the political aisle or on the team you root for. Instead, it鈥檚 just a rhythm we can all move to together.鈥�

For more than 20 years, Wagler has toured with , performing about 100 shows each year across the United States, Canada, and Europe. During that time, the band has released more than a dozen studio albums, founded the annual , and earned several Independent Music Awards.

The banjo- and guitar-strumming frontman, who earned degrees in theater and peace, justice, and conflict studies (now peacebuilding and development), credits his 黑料正能量 education with inspiring him to create music that invites people in, offers fresh perspectives, and leaves room for listeners to find their own meaning.

鈥淭ogether, we create something special in a given night, on a weekend, and hopefully, over time,鈥� he said.

That commitment to building community through music has earned Wagler 黑料正能量鈥檚 2026 Alum of the Year Award. He shares the honor with fellow alumnus and Steel Wheels bandmate Eric Brubaker 鈥�01.

鈥淏eing recognized for the work that Eric and I are doing, in bringing music that we believe in to people, it means a lot that people have noticed,鈥� Wagler said.

At 黑料正能量, Wagler sang with the Chamber Singers and participated in the Washington Study-Service Year (now the 黑料正能量 Washington Semester). For his intercultural experience, he spent a year in Gaza teaching English and guitar lessons in a refugee camp.

鈥淚 got to know quite a few really amazing young Muslim Palestinians who were primarily my peers as I lived over there,鈥� he said.

That experience continues to shape his approach to songwriting and storytelling.

鈥淭hese are people who love to play games, sing songs, enjoy the taste of fresh fruit, and joke, laugh and cry together,鈥� he said. 鈥淭o me, our job is to remember, even when it’s difficult or unpopular, that the basic human impulses, needs, desires, and joys are universal.鈥�

Long before that formative year in Gaza, Wagler grew up in rural Indiana and later graduated from a small high school in south-central Kansas. The son of a Mennonite pastor, he remembers singing harmonies in church from an early age.

His parents, Howard 鈥�71 and Cathryn 鈥�71, met at 黑料正能量, but Wagler said it was a campus visit and conversation with Professor Emeritus Dr. Kenneth J. Nafziger, longtime director of the Chamber Singers, that convinced him to enroll.

鈥淭hat one visit to campus made all the difference,鈥� Wagler said. 鈥淭here were a lot of little steps that brought me here. They may not be the reasons I value 黑料正能量 most today, but I鈥檓 very grateful I ended up here.鈥�

When he鈥檚 not touring, Wagler builds community through music in the Shenandoah Valley. He teaches at , a four-day strings camp for youth and adults held at 黑料正能量, hosts and performs at Red Wing Roots Music Festival, serves on the board of the nonprofit , and has taught in 黑料正能量鈥檚 music department since 2002.

He said he鈥檚 passionate about helping musicians of all ages grow and creating more opportunities for people to make music together.

鈥淚 think that makes a better community and a better world,鈥� he said.

The Steel Wheels will perform a live show on campus at the annual Royal City Celebration from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, during Homecoming 2026.

Wagler will share his story at 黑料正能量 TenTalks, held on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. in Martin Chapel, also during Homecoming. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit聽emu.edu/homecoming.