Dycus, who has led the university as interim president since July 2025, begins her five-year term on July 1, 2026.

鈥淚’m humbled to continue the bold legacy of 黑料正能量,鈥� Dycus said. 鈥満诹险芰� leaders have been courageous and visionary stewards of this sacred community. Being called to serve among them is a responsibility I鈥檓 excited and honored to step into.鈥�   

The 黑料正能量 Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Dycus as president during its June 12 meeting.

Jane Hoober Peifer 鈥�74, MDiv 鈥�97, chair-elect of the board, said Dycus demonstrated consistent and collaborative leadership over the past year as interim president that 鈥渃ontinues to unite the campus.鈥� She also highlighted her ability to listen attentively and build effective teams.

鈥淪he cares deeply about students and their success, and she works to create a good working environment for faculty and staff,鈥� Peifer said. 鈥満诹险芰� is very fortunate to have the gifts and leadership of Rev. Dr. Shannon Dycus as its 10th president.鈥�

The board鈥檚 decision followed several months of feedback gathered by its Presidential Succession Planning Committee from representatives across the 黑料正能量 community, including faculty, staff, students, senior administrators, alumni, donors, church constituents, and other key stakeholders, regarding her potential appointment. 

A report of the committee鈥檚 findings, presented to the board in May, recommended appointing Dycus without launching a costly and time-consuming national search. 

Based on 鈥渢he institutional knowledge, relationships, and trust that she has already established, the university is not being asked to take a chance on an untested leader. Instead, [黑料正能量] has already completed the most meaningful leadership assessment possible: observing the candidate serve successfully in the role itself.鈥�

It cited her demonstrated leadership, character, vision, and effectiveness as positioning her to lead 黑料正能量 into its next chapter. It also noted the unusual level of alignment from those consulted throughout the process.

鈥淭he committee found broad and consistent support for Dr. Dycus across nearly every constituency engaged during this process,鈥� the report said. 鈥淪takeholders repeatedly described her leadership as authentic, relational, transparent, collaborative, strategic, mission-centered, and deeply aligned with 黑料正能量鈥檚 values.鈥�

The analysis concluded that Dycus demonstrates the leadership capacity, institutional understanding, and community trust needed to guide 黑料正能量 during a pivotal period in its history. Together, the board鈥檚 unanimous vote and the consistent, enthusiastic affirmation expressed across stakeholder groups reflect a shared confidence in Dr. Dycus鈥檚 leadership and in 黑料正能量鈥檚 future.

Over the past year as interim president, Dycus has fostered renewed optimism, deeper collaboration, greater transparency, and growing confidence in 黑料正能量, the report said. She helped create a healthier organizational culture while guiding the university through significant challenges.

During her tenure, Dycus has helped position the university for enrollment growth, financial stability, and sustained donor confidence. Undergraduate applications have doubled during this cycle, and 黑料正能量 is projecting a larger incoming class than last year, which itself was up 10%.

黑料正能量鈥檚 first-ever Forward Together comprehensive campaign has surpassed 80% of its $40 million goal with two years remaining. As student and workforce needs evolve, the university continues to reshape its academic programs to ensure its transformative educational offerings remain relevant in a changing higher education landscape.

A recently finalized strategic partnership with Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community positions the university to invest in programs and people that move it forward. An academic restructuring during the 2025-26 academic year has also expanded opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration.

鈥淭his is an incredibly exciting time for who we are as an institution,鈥� Dycus said. 鈥淲e are growing, we are sustaining, and there鈥檚 joy around who we are.鈥�

An educator and ordained minister, Dycus has more than 20 years of experience in learning communities and ministry settings, including the past seven at 黑料正能量. Prior to serving as interim president, she was vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging. She previously served as dean of students from 2019-23 then vice president for student affairs and dean of students from 2023-24 before being promoted to vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging (2024-2025).

Before coming to 黑料正能量, she was an academic adviser and adjunct faculty member at Franklin University of Ohio (Indianapolis campus) and co-pastor at First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis.

She holds a doctor of ministry in public theology from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, a master of divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, and a bachelor of arts in middle and secondary education from Butler University.

Dycus is the first Black woman to lead 黑料正能量 as president. She succeeds President Emerita Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, who served as the university鈥檚 ninth president from 2017-25.

She lives in Harrisonburg with her husband, Gregory, and sons Malachi and Semaj.

An inauguration ceremony on Oct. 10 during 黑料正能量鈥檚 annual Homecoming Weekend will celebrate Dycus as the university鈥檚 10th president during its 110th year. Invitations and additional details will be shared later.

Manuel Nu帽ez 鈥�94, chair of the board of trustees, reflected on the significance of the appointment. 鈥淎s 黑料正能量 steps into its next century, we are grateful to have found in Dr. Shannon Dycus a leader uniquely suited to this moment,鈥� he said. 鈥淒r. Dycus brings academic depth, a gift for listening, and a deep commitment to building community. Her leadership reflects clarity, wisdom, and a fierce commitment to our students and to the distinctive mission and witness of 黑料正能量.鈥� 

Members of the Presidential Succession Planning Committee included Janet Lind (chair), Jake Bell, Ral Obioha, Steve Kriss, and Amy Yoder McGloughlin.

Dr. Dycus reflects on being selected as 黑料正能量’s 10th president.

The Free Food Room is a joint initiative coordinated by the task force鈥攁 group of 黑料正能量 staff members that includes Celeste Thomas, Trina Trotter Nussbaum, Brian Martin Burkholder, and Levi Clymer鈥攁long with the SEEDS student sustainability group and Student Life. It receives monthly food deliveries at heavily discounted rates as a member of the Verona-based Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

In addition to food bank deliveries, the Free Food Room receives fresh produce from local farms through its partnership with Harrisonburg鈥檚 educational outreach program. This year, the Free Food Room is receiving produce from near Keezletown. The program also receives donated produce through its relationship with Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.

鈥淚鈥檓 so impressed by how many partnerships this little space involves,鈥� said Nicole Litwiller 鈥�19, MA 鈥�20, annual giving and donor communications specialist, one of the visitors on the tour. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a great example of 黑料正能量 and the broader community working together.鈥�

Task force members said they plan to add card-swipe access to the entrance this summer to ensure resources and donations are best used to serve students, employees, and others with an active 黑料正能量 ID card. The security upgrade, funded through a $12,000 grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), will allow the Free Food Room to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is currently accessible from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Grant funding will also be used to create more visible signage outside the space, increase publicity as students return to campus, and address ADA doorway access needs, with the remaining funds designated for food purchases.

Task force members said the Free Food Room often has an abundance of fresh produce during the summer months and encouraged faculty, staff, and students to take fruits, vegetables, and frozen meat home with them, regardless of financial need.

鈥淓very summer, we have this excess,鈥� Trotter Nussbaum said. 鈥淭his is for people who think, 鈥極h, I don鈥檛 need the Free Food Room.鈥� Please come and take it because it will spoil, and you might as well have fresh produce in your house. Come take it.鈥�

鈥淏efore you go to the grocery store,鈥� Thomas added.

黑料正能量 students Rin Akinotcho (top, below left) and La-Ann Volel (below right) help out at the Free Food Room during the spring semester. 

How to help

Monetary donations to the Free Food Room can be made online through . Select 鈥淔ree Food Room鈥� from the designation dropdown menu to direct your gift to the program.

Food donations may be left on a marked table inside the Free Food Room.

For more information about the Free Food Room or ways to support its work, contact Brian Martin Burkholder, Celeste Thomas, Trina Trotter Nussbaum, or Levi Clymer.

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.

黑料正能量 announced on Thursday it has named Nathan K. Leopard as its new vice president for advancement. Leopard, who most recently served as director of development for Virginia Tech鈥檚 Pamplin College of Business, starts in the role on June 1.

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus announced the appointment in an email to faculty, staff, alumni, and friends on Thursday morning. The hire concludes a nationwide search that began in January.

Leopard succeeds Kirk Shisler 鈥�81, 黑料正能量鈥檚 vice president for advancement since 2005, who is transitioning to a new role as senior advisor for gift planning. Shisler has said the transition will allow him to focus exclusively on securing major gifts to sustain 黑料正能量鈥檚 mission.

Leopard will continue a comprehensive advancement operation encompassing fundraising, alumni and constituent engagement, communications, and advancement services. He will also expand connections among alumni, donors, faith communities, foundations, and regional partners in support of the university鈥檚 mission.

鈥淎s vice president for advancement, I look forward to strengthening our culture of generosity, expanding our philanthropic reach, and helping secure the resources necessary to sustain and grow this mission,鈥� Leopard said.

Dr. Dycus remarked on Leopard鈥檚 鈥済enuine alignment鈥� with 黑料正能量鈥檚 mission and community. 鈥淲hat stands out most about Nathan is his values-driven, relational approach to advancement,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e views fundraising not as a series of transactions, but as a meaningful partnership that invites alumni and friends into a shared vision for impact.鈥�

Two decades of experience

Leopard brings two decades of fundraising and advancement experience leading alumni relations, annual giving, event-based fundraising, and interdisciplinary major gifts.

At Virginia Tech, he led fundraising and stewardship operations for the Pamplin College of Business, where he personally secured more than $17 million in gifts since August 2022 and helped direct development efforts that generated nearly $50 million in support for the school. He also co-led the college鈥檚 Giving Day strategy, which saw substantial growth in donor participation.

Prior to that, Leopard served as senior director of major gifts at Penn State University鈥檚 Smeal College of Business, where he played a key role in the college鈥檚 success during the six-year A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence fundraising campaign. The $2.2 billion campaign generated more than $116 million in gifts and commitments for the college, exceeding its goal by more than 22%.

He also served as associate director of development for Penn State鈥檚 Schreyer Honors College, where he led the development and launch of an initiative that significantly boosted parent giving.

Leopard鈥檚 nonprofit experience includes serving as the first distinguished giving director for the American Cancer Society.

He holds an MS in college student personnel from Miami University (Ohio) and a bachelor鈥檚 of science in public relations from Northwest Missouri State University. The Show Me State native, who began his career in student affairs and whose wife, Dr. Jennifer Grossman Leopard, is the director of student life at James Madison University, described himself as a 鈥渂ig believer鈥� in the holistic experience.

鈥淭he people I鈥檝e met at 黑料正能量 have been genuine, thoughtful, and caring,鈥� he said. 鈥淗aving the opportunity to be at a place like 黑料正能量, where I can embrace the whole person and support others in embracing their full selves, is truly meaningful.鈥�

黑料正能量鈥檚 focus on preparing graduates who make the world a better place aligns with his personal mission, Leopard said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not just going out and leading companies, reforming laws, treating illnesses, or educating people, but they鈥檙e changing the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to help people change the world.鈥�

Building on positive momentum

Leopard joins the university at an exciting time. 黑料正能量 is three years into its first-ever, five-year Forward Together comprehensive campaign, which has raised more than $32 million, or 80% of its $40 million goal. Enrollment is also on the upswing. The university announced this week it received 3,000 undergraduate applications for the first time in its history.

In addition to building on that positive momentum, Leopard said he looks forward to getting to know each of the members of the advancement team and working with Dr. Dycus and the board of trustees to shape their vision for the future of 黑料正能量 while connecting with donors.

Leopard lives in the Harrisonburg area with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children, Caroline and Jack. Their daughter has participated in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Shenandoah Valley Children鈥檚 Choir and in several camps held on campus.

Quoting the soccer coach from the comedy series Ted Lasso, Leopard said he aims to 鈥渂e curious鈥� as he steps into his new role.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to be a sponge and learn as much as I can about 黑料正能量, including about our students, our alumni, our stakeholders, and our events and culture,鈥� he said.

2026 retirees

The 2026 retirees honored at the ceremony were: Howard Zehr (30 years of service), professor of conflict studies; Doug Graber Neufeld (26 years), professor of biology; Deanna Durham (23 years), associate professor of social work and sociology; JD McCurdy (23 years), head softball coach; Kevin Seidel (17 years), professor of English; and Chad Gusler (16 years), associate professor of language and literature.

The following employees, who represent an additional 430 years of commitment to 黑料正能量, celebrated milestone years of service:

40 years

Renee Leap (left) and Audrey Shenk (right) reached 40 years of service. 

30 years

Howard Zehr (left) and Melody Cash (right) reached 30 years.

25 years

Mark Metzler Sawin (not pictured) reached 25 years.

20 years

Left to right: Beth Brunk, Laura Yoder, Jim Leaman, and Travis Trotter reached 20 years. 

15 years

Left to right: Kathy Evans, Wendy Carr, Braydon Hoover, Ron Shultz, and Melvin Felix Garcia (inset) reached 15 years.听

10 years

Left to right: Tim Seidel, Paul Yoder, Alena Yoder, Ericka Gingerich, and Trina Trotter Nussbaum reached 10 years. 

Five years

Left to right: Lexi Fotis-Brown, Stephanie Mason, Debra Pardini, Courtney Joyner, Justin McIlwee, and Ann Butwell reached five years. Not pictured: Carolyn Kirby, Krista Murray, Gaurav Pathania, Erin Weldon, Mary Ann Zehr, and Nina Zhang also reached five years.

The luncheon was a highlight of the Spring 2026 Faculty & Staff Conference, which provided a time to pause, reflect, and celebrate the close of the academic year together. View the full program of the conference .

For her, that moment came during the traumatic birth of her youngest child two years ago. Perez, a graduate of 黑料正能量 at Lancaster鈥檚 Leadership and Organizational Management (LOM) program, shared that she failed out of her studies during that experience. But rather than quit, she pushed forward and kept fighting. She came back stronger, enrolling in the next cohort and earning Dean鈥檚 List honors throughout her time in the program. The road didn鈥檛 become easier, she said, but her resilience grew stronger.

That same resilience, she told the Class of 2026 graduates, lies in every single one of them. Many of them, who are nontraditional adult learners, balanced their coursework with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. 鈥淲e showed up tired, we showed up overwhelmed and stretched thin, and sometimes we showed up broken,鈥� she said. 鈥淩egardless, we still showed up.鈥�

When her mother was hospitalized and passed away in January, Perez said her classmates, who had become a support system, showed up for her. 鈥淚n one of my hardest seasons,鈥� she said, 鈥渋t was this community that reminded me I wasn鈥檛 alone.鈥�

Graduates recess following the Commencement ceremony.

Angelita Perez (left) was one of three graduates who shared their perspectives at Commencement. Dr. Jamie Mak (right), assistant vice president of academic and program growth for 黑料正能量 at Lancaster, opens the ceremony. 

Perez was one of 21 graduates of 黑料正能量 at Lancaster鈥檚 degree and graduate certificate programs who walked across the stage and were joyfully sent off into the world during the annual Commencement ceremony at Forest Hills Mennonite Church on Friday, May 8. This year, 黑料正能量 at Lancaster awarded 21 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 13 graduate certificates.

Dr. Jamie Mak, assistant vice president of academic and program growth for 黑料正能量 at Lancaster, welcomed the family members, friends, and guests gathered in celebration and commended the courage and commitment shown by the graduates.

鈥淎s you leave today, you carry more than just credentials,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou carry the values that define this community: peacebuilding, social justice, service, and compassion. You are entering a world that needs those values more than ever.鈥�

黑料正能量 at Lancaster awarded 21 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 13 graduate certificates.

Graduates Will Stover (left) and Alejandro Ulloa (right) share their perspectives.

In addition to Perez, graduates Will Stover and Alejandro Ulloa shared their reflections.

Stover, a graduate of the aviation program, highlighted his cohort鈥檚 accomplishments鈥攁ccumulating over 7,000 hours of flight time in their four years together鈥攁nd shared some of the lessons they learned in the program. He encouraged graduates to 鈥渢ake the first step鈥� when presented with challenges and opportunities, continue supporting one another and 鈥渒eep 鈥檈m flying,鈥� and find the positive in times of adversity. Echoing the mantra of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight squadron, he called on graduates to embrace being 鈥済lad to be here.鈥�

鈥淭here are days that are difficult, when we feel defeated, lost, and unsure of what鈥檚 next,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are also days that feel easy, motivating, and full of hope. The phrase 鈥楪lad to be here鈥� is a reminder that, regardless of the day, resiliency ultimately wins.鈥�

When Ulloa was growing up, he often heard his mother say, 鈥渃ada cabeza un mundo entero.鈥� That phrase, he said, translates to 鈥渆ach head is a whole world.鈥�

鈥淢y mom鈥檚 words are a consistent reminder that God created each of us with uniqueness and complexity and finds each of us worthy of love,鈥� said Ulloa, who graduated with an MA in education with a concentration in Trauma and Resilience in Educational Environments (TREE).

After teaching at Lancaster Mennonite High School for 11 years, he said God called him to a different setting about four years ago. That鈥檚 when he applied to the program at 黑料正能量 at Lancaster to 鈥渟tay in touch with these faith-infused tenets of education and daily practice.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 so thankful for this program and its professors, who encouraged us to view our students in their entirety, to approach them with care and empathy first and foremost, and to remember that there鈥檚 an entire world in their heads,鈥� he said. Ulloa added that he leaves the program 鈥渕ore committed than ever鈥� to meet his students where they are, get to know them, and support them however he can.

黑料正能量 at Lancaster鈥檚 Class of 2026 graduates celebrate after walking across the stage.

Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo (left) delivers the Commencement address. Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus (right) offers welcome remarks during the ceremony.

Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo delivered the Commencement address. A first-generation college graduate and avid runner who became the first Latino mayor in the city鈥檚 history, he spoke about the process of training for a marathon and connected it to broader lessons in life.

Preparation, he told the graduates, is both a choice and an ongoing process. 鈥淪ometimes that means taking a step back and readjusting your training plan,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 just a check-in with yourself that brings you back to the basics. It鈥檚 about questioning your choices and making sure you鈥檙e on the right path.鈥�

鈥淭hink deeply about your choices, find a way to quiet the noise, listen to what truly matters, and make sure the commitments you make are for the greater good,鈥� Arroyo added.

In her remarks to the graduates, Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus expressed appreciation for the ways they have shown up for one another and for the 黑料正能量 community. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e wrestled with hard questions, you鈥檝e listened across differences, and you鈥檝e continued to pursue rigorous learning in a way that reflects both care and conviction,鈥� she said.

Kirk Shisler 鈥�81, vice president for advancement, welcomed the graduates as new members of the 黑料正能量 Alumni Association. 鈥淵ou join some 21,000 fellow alumni who distinguish themselves as people who serve and lead with distinction locally, regionally, nationally, and around the world,鈥� he said.

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, presented and commissioned the graduates. Dr. Dycus conferred the degrees and offered the closing blessing. Jess King 鈥�96, an 黑料正能量 parent and member of the 黑料正能量 Board of Trustees, led the opening invocation. Derek Kline, director of the aviation program, and Dr. Mak recognized the graduates.

In addition to King, board members Janet Lind, Gloria Diener 鈥�76, and Jane Hoober Peifer 鈥�74, MDiv 鈥�97, attended the ceremony.

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he 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 .

Royals Freshman Athlete of the Year

Female Freshman of the Year:聽听(蝉辞蹿迟产补濒濒)

Judd had an outstanding season for the Royals softball team and was one of just four players to start all 34 games. She hit .304, third-best on the team, while totaling 35 hits, second-most on the roster. In 115 at-bats, she struck out only nine times. Defensively, Judd posted a .985 fielding percentage with just two errors in 132 chances while playing first base, catcher, and the outfield.

鈥淎liza Judd 鈥� great attitude, and she brings it every day,鈥� said head softball coach JD McCurdy. 鈥淪he was our leadoff hitter and an immediate impact player. If you ever come to see her play, you鈥檒l never know whether she鈥檚 0-for-5 or 5-for-5; she鈥檚 ice cold. She checks all the boxes as a great player and a great leader.鈥澛�

Male Freshman of the Year:聽聽(men’s track and field)

Rucker burst onto the scene for 黑料正能量, placing ninth in the shot put and 12th in the weight throw at his first collegiate meet, the Liberty Kickoff, which featured many Division I and II programs. The following weekend, he won the shot put and finished second in the weight throw, beginning a dominant indoor season in which he consistently won events while climbing the 黑料正能量 track and field record books. He set the program record in the indoor weight throw, ranks second in the indoor shot put, set the outdoor discus record, and ranks second in the outdoor hammer throw.

At the indoor ODAC Championships, Rucker earned Second Team All-ODAC honors in the shot put, and at season鈥檚 end he was named USTFCCCA All-South Region in both the shot put and weight throw. He followed with a stellar outdoor season, winning ODAC titles in the hammer throw and discus while finishing second in the shot put. He currently ranks 29th in Division III in the hammer throw and 50th in the shot put.

鈥淚 think one of the most impressive things about Koran is that, for the last couple of months, the throwers have had to pretty much coach themselves,鈥� said Director of Cross Country, Track & Field and Triathlon Bob Hepler. 鈥淗e鈥檚 shown a lot of character through his work ethic, and we are very blessed to have him.

Royals Athlete of the Year

Female Athlete of the Year:聽 ’26聽(women’s soccer)

Beachy was named Female Athlete of the Year following arguably her best season as a Royal. She scored 10 goals in her senior campaign, including a two-goal performance in a 4鈥�1 home win over Hollins on Senior Day. Beachy finished the season ranked seventh in the ODAC in goals, third in game-winning goals (5), and 11th in points (20), earning Third Team All-ODAC honors鈥攖he first All-ODAC selection for 黑料正能量 women鈥檚 soccer since 2017.

Her on-field production and leadership helped guide 黑料正能量 Women鈥檚 Soccer to one of its strongest seasons in recent years. The Royals finished 6鈥�11鈥�1 in 2025, recording their highest win total since 2019 and qualifying for the ODAC Women鈥檚 Soccer Tournament for the first time since that same year.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to recognize Leah,鈥� said Royals head coach Leo Alcoreza. 鈥淗er impact on our program goes far beyond stats. Come game day, Leah consistently delivered in the biggest moments, stepping up time and time again when we needed her most. As a team captain, she led by example every day. She鈥檚 not just an incredible athlete, she鈥檚 an even better teammate, person, and leader, and 黑料正能量 is better because of her.鈥�

Male Athlete of the Year:聽 ’26听(产补蝉别产补濒濒)

A four-year starter for the Royals, Miller played in and started 38 games this season and delivered one of the best individual campaigns in 黑料正能量 baseball history. He led the team with a .427 batting average, which ranked third in the ODAC for the 2026 season. Miller also paced the Royals and ranked second in the ODAC with 61 hits, the sixth-most in a single season in program history. On the bases, he stole 25 bags, leading the ODAC and tying the 黑料正能量 single-season record.

He helped guide 黑料正能量 to 14 regular-season wins, the program鈥檚 highest total since the 2019 season.

鈥淎idan should be getting his second All-Conference award later this month, and he鈥檒l finish in the top 10 in multiple categories in our record book, but that stuff is really irrelevant to what he鈥檚 meant to our program,鈥� said Royals head coach Adam Posey. 鈥淚f you guys listen, his nickname right now is 鈥楽kip,鈥� as in skipper of the team. He鈥檚 very passionate about what he does and very loyal, and we鈥檒l miss all of those things next year.鈥�

President鈥檚 Award

Female President’s Award:聽 ’26聽(women’s soccer)

Beachy is from Grants Pass, Oregon, and is a nursing graduate who achieved a 4.00 GPA during her time at 黑料正能量. She plans to work as a nurse on a medical-surgical floor and join an adult soccer league.

A four-year member of the women鈥檚 soccer team, Beachy was named Third Team All-ODAC in 2025. During her career at 黑料正能量, she played 5,391 minutes across 72 games. She led or co-led the team in scoring for three seasons, totaling 21 goals and eight assists. Beachy is the co-record holder for most single-game assists and points and ranks fifth all-time in career points (50) and sixth in career goals (21).

She was a four-year member of the Dean鈥檚 List and the All-ODAC Academic Team, a two-time VaSID Academic All-State selection, and a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree. She was also a member of the Honors Program. Off the field, Beachy served as a Royal Ambassador, tour guide, peer tutor, and member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing and the Nursing Student Association. She also served as a student-faculty representative for the nursing program and as an Honors Program facilitator.

鈥満诹险芰� Athletics gave me the rare opportunity to play soccer while receiving a phenomenal nursing education, providing an outlet to exist purely as a competitor amid the demands of college,鈥� Beachy said. 鈥淭he joys and challenges of athletics expanded my capacity to serve and lead not only as a teammate, but also as a nurse, friend, and community member. I leave 黑料正能量 Athletics with precious relationships, lasting memories, and a deeper love for the game. It has been a true privilege.鈥澛�

Male President’s Award:聽 ’26 (baseball)

Hall is from Chesapeake, Virginia, and is a health and physical education graduate with minors in kinesiology, exercise science, and coaching. He achieved a 3.74 GPA during his time at 黑料正能量 and plans to pursue a career in physical education.

A four-year member of the baseball program, Hall played in 103 games for the Royals. He holds a career batting average of .278 with 87 hits, 17 doubles, and 46 RBI. In 2024, he was hit by a pitch 25 times, and he has been hit 47 times in his career, both 黑料正能量 baseball records.

Academically, he was named to the Dean鈥檚 List five times, the All-ODAC Academic Team four times, and is a CSC Academic All-District honoree. Off the field, he was a member of Every Nation Campus.

鈥満诹险芰� Athletics is more than a season, more than a game, more than a practice, more than a result, and more than a feeling,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淚t is an outlet, it is a community, it is cherished moments and friendships that will last a lifetime. I felt at one point that I was defined by results. Coach Posey has helped me find my identity鈥攏ot in results, not in statistics, but in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 黑料正能量 Athletics has been a place where myself and others can grow in our faith and develop our foundation on a Kingdom that is everlasting.鈥�

Stay up to date with 黑料正能量 Athletics through its聽听补苍诲 聽accounts or visit its聽.

HARRISONBURG, Va. 鈥� 黑料正能量 and Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community announced Monday, May 11, a strategic partnership that strengthens and expands their long-standing relationship, allowing VMRC to plan for future growth while providing 黑料正能量 with the resources to advance its educational mission.

As part of the agreement, VMRC will acquire Park Woods, a 13-acre oak-hickory forest it shares with 黑料正能量, with a commitment to continue stewarding and preserving the urban green space as an enduring asset to the community. The partnership also includes a five-year plan for VMRC鈥檚 potential expansion through its purchase of the land upon which the 黑料正能量 baseball field now sits, along with the construction of a new ballfield at another location on the university campus.

The partnership, which has been approved by each institution鈥檚 board of trustees, supports their long-term strategic goals by strengthening financial sustainability, expanding opportunities for intergenerational engagement, and reinforcing their shared presence as mission-driven organizations serving the public good.

Leaders of the neighboring Harrisonburg institutions describe the partnership as a 鈥渨in-win,鈥� supporting both VMRC鈥檚 capacity to serve current and future residents and 黑料正能量鈥檚 ability to invest in academic excellence, student access, and community engagement.

鈥淭his partnership honors our history while giving us the flexibility and capacity to plan for long-term vitality,鈥� VMRC President and CEO Jake Bell said. 鈥淚t allows us to continue providing high-quality care and community while strengthening our connection to 黑料正能量 and the region we both serve.鈥�

鈥淭his partnership reflects who we are and how we want to lead,鈥� 黑料正能量 Interim President Shannon W. Dycus said. 鈥淚t builds on decades of relationship, shared geography, and common values, while positioning both institutions to respond thoughtfully and responsibly to the future.鈥�

黑料正能量 and VMRC share a foundation of Anabaptist-Mennonite values and a commitment to community, service, and care for the whole person. The two institutions have long been neighbors and partners, and this agreement positions them to collaborate more intentionally on academic, cultural, and community initiatives that benefit students, residents, employees, and the greater Harrisonburg region.

Media Contact:
Ryan Cornell
Senior Writer & Communications Manager
ryan.cornell@emu.edu
(540) 432-4059

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�

鈥淧eace is like an egg,鈥� Lederach said. 鈥淚t is delicate and fragile, but in the right conditions, it gives life.鈥�

Lederach is an assistant professor of peace and justice studies at Chapman University. She has spent more than a decade working with grassroots peacebuilders in Colombia to transform violent conflict, expand possibilities for environmental justice, and cultivate more just and livable communities. She is the author of Feel the Grass Grow: Ecologies of Slow Peace in Colombia and co-author of When Blood and Bones Cry Out: Journeys Through the Soundscape of Healing and Reconciliation.

Commencement weekend served as a homecoming for Lederach, whose father, John Paul, co-founded 黑料正能量鈥檚 internationally recognized Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and served as its first director. Her presence at the ceremony coincided with the center鈥檚 30th anniversary celebration.

Graduates of the Class of 2026 attend 黑料正能量’s 108th annual Commencement on Sunday in Yoder Arena.

Dr. Angela J. Lederach (left) recalled attending 黑料正能量 commencements as a child and fully immersing herself in the campus fountain鈥檚 鈥渃rystal clear waters鈥� while dressed in her Sunday best. 鈥淚f you want to know the real reason why you are inside today instead of outside, you know where to direct the blame,鈥� she joked with graduates. Kylik Bradshaw (right), a liberal arts graduate, beams during the big day.

Lederach spoke about how she has learned from peacebuilders and CJP alumni around the world to listen for the sounds of justice. Alumni such as Emmanuel Bombande MA 鈥�02 and Leymah Gbowee MA 鈥�07, who worked to bring peace to West Africa and Liberia, taught her to speak the language of justice, while Larisa Zehr 鈥�11 in Colombia showed her how to walk alongside people pursuing peace in the wake of dehumanizing violence.

鈥淭o speak the language of justice requires courage,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ot the loud bravado that conceals cowardice and blares from the world stage today, but the quiet courage found in the register of everyday life, in the recognition of our shared humanity, in our willingness to stand up and say 鈥榥ever again,鈥� and in our ability and willingness to sacrifice for one another.鈥�

That courage emanates from the lives of people like Michael 鈥淢J鈥� Sharp 鈥�05, who was killed in 2017 while working as a United Nations expert on armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

鈥淭he language of justice is rooted in hope,鈥� Lederach said. 鈥溾�nd I have to say, Class of 2026, the work of guarding hope is not easy.鈥�

鈥淎nd yet, as graduates of this institution have taught me over and over again,鈥� she added, 鈥渋t is precisely by slowing down enough to notice and attend to the lives and possibilities found close to the ground that dreams are protected and held and continue to grow, even amid violence.鈥�

Cords of Distinction recipient Irais Barrera Pinzon, a political science and Spanish language & Hispanic studies graduate, smiles wide during Commencement.

Arelys Martinez Fabian (left) and Yenifer Dottin-Carter 鈥�23 (right) present the graduate perspectives.

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

Hall reflected on the bittersweet emotions many were feeling as they left behind the dorms they once called home, the friends who joined them on their journeys, and the places on campus where memories were made. 鈥淏ut those memories are not leaving us,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are a part of us. They are who we have become. As we turn this page in our lives, we will be taking a part of 黑料正能量 into our occupations.鈥�

Reading from Matthew 5:13-17, he called on his fellow graduates to act as the 鈥渟alt of the earth鈥� and 鈥渓ight of the world.鈥� He said it鈥檚 easy to go through the motions, to blend in and lay low. 鈥淏ut I encourage you, whatever you do, to go the extra mile. Be a light in people鈥檚 lives. Stand out, work hard, and make an impact.鈥�

Martinez Fabian recalled feeling a mix of excitement, fear, and uncertainty when applying to colleges four years ago. She said she didn鈥檛 know where life would take her, but she knew she was stepping into something bigger than she could ever imagine. Like many of her fellow graduates, she wasn鈥檛 just chasing her own dreams but also carrying the hopes of her family.

鈥淭his finish line isn鈥檛 just about my goals, it鈥檚 about my parents鈥� goals,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about their journey, the miles they traveled from their homes, the long years of difficult work, and the challenge of learning a new language and navigating a new culture.鈥�

Through it all, the late-night study sessions and Common Grounds conversations, she said, 鈥渨e found our people.鈥� She said she has been fortunate to meet friends who have become her lifeline throughout her time at 黑料正能量. 鈥淪o I ask you this: How lucky are we that saying goodbye feels this hard? That kind of sadness only exists because of how meaningful those connections are.鈥�

Dottin-Carter shared the story of her path to 黑料正能量, beginning with her family鈥檚 immigration from the Dominican Republic to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and her eventual move to Harrisonburg with her then-boyfriend, now husband, Isaiah MA 鈥�22 (restorative justice). She invited graduates to imagine the countless stories lived among them, of triumph, hardship, laughter, and sorrow, that will be carried within them as a collective memory.

She encouraged graduates to find a space where their story is honored, their presence is valued, and their legacy is seen. 鈥淎nd if you cannot find it, build it,鈥� she said. 鈥淔ind your people, find your place, find space where you are loved, understood, and validated.鈥�

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus presides over 黑料正能量鈥檚 108th annual Commencement.

The ceremony recognized 304 graduates from 23 states, Puerto Rico, and 15 countries.

This marked Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus鈥� first Commencement as interim president. In her opening remarks, she said many of the Class of 2026 graduates began their time at 黑料正能量 during a season shaped by significant cultural and political change.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e navigated a world marked by tension, rapid shifts, and real questions about identity, belonging, and truth,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n the midst of it all, you stayed grounded in your learning. You stayed grounded with one another. You demonstrated resilience, discernment, and a willingness to engage complexity rather than turn away from it.鈥�

The Rev. Gordon Meriwether, a member of the 黑料正能量 Board of Trustees, led the opening invocation. The 黑料正能量 Chamber Singers, led by Dr. Benjamin Bergey, performed a musical selection. Divisional deans Rev. Dr. Sarah Bixler and Dr. Michael Horst presented the graduates. Provost Dr. Tynisha Willingham commissioned the graduates. Retiring professors Dr. Doug Graber Neufeld and Deanna Durham delivered the Commencement blessing.

Watch a video recording of Commencement below!

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.

Graduates were joined by family, friends, supporters, and 黑料正能量 faculty, staff, and administrators to celebrate their accomplishments and the unique gifts they bring to their communities and the world.

Formerly known as Baccalaureate, the annual ceremony offers graduates an opportunity to 鈥渓ook back with pride and look forward with courage,鈥� Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said in her welcome. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a space to breathe deeply, reflect on all that has brought you to this moment, and prepare your heart and spirit for what lies ahead.鈥�

Graduates were joined by family, friends, supporters, and 黑料正能量 faculty, staff, and administrators.

Senior class co-presidents Arelys Martinez Fabian and Genesis Figueroa deliver the senior class salutations (left). Dr. Tynisha Willingham welcomes the audience in Lehman Auditorium on Saturday evening (right).

In a shared address highlighting their close partnership, Figueroa and Martinez Fabian reflected on their experiences at 黑料正能量 and encouraged graduates to carry what they鈥檝e learned into every space they enter.

From late-night study sessions at Common Grounds Coffeehouse to 鈥渢hose dreadful group assignments,鈥� campus became not just a place to take classes, but where they discovered who they are, the senior class co-presidents said.

鈥満诹险芰� has a way of pushing us, not just academically but personally,鈥� they said. 鈥淚t asks us to think critically, engage with people who are different from us, and consider how we want to show up in the world.鈥�

鈥満诹险芰� doesn鈥檛 just prepare us for what鈥檚 next. It challenges us to think about why we do what we do,鈥� they continued. 鈥淭o consider how we can contribute to something bigger than ourselves, whether in our careers, our communities, or the everyday choices we make.鈥�

Ethan Neufeld, senior class business manager, and Maria Longenecker, senior class secretary, presented the class gift to Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus. Each year, the senior class selects a meaningful gift that reflects their shared experience and leaves a lasting legacy. This year, the Class of 2026 chose to fund improvements to the 黑料正能量 Game Room in the University Commons, expanding options for students, faculty, and staff.

Eli Stoll performs the opening song, 鈥淭he Lord Lift You Up鈥� (Voices Together 832).

Dr. Tara Kishbaugh (left) delivers the faculty address. Ethan Neufeld, senior class business manager, presents Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus with the senior class gift (right).

In her address titled 鈥淕o bravely鈥ut please call,鈥� Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success, urged graduates to keep a firm belief in themselves and hold onto their optimism. The longtime professor drew from her chemistry curriculum, likening the graduates鈥� situation to molecules in a transition state.

鈥淭his transition state is a normal part of transformation,鈥� she said. 鈥淏utterflies don鈥檛 force it. The struggle is part of the becoming.鈥�

She also reminded graduates that they didn鈥檛 arrive at Commencement weekend alone. 鈥淟ook at the love that has brought you here,鈥� she said. 鈥溾�ou belong to each other, and you belong to us. You鈥檝e left a mark on 黑料正能量, and hopefully you will see the imprint of 黑料正能量 in your future selves as little ripples.鈥�

Graduate Celebration and Sending featured gathering music from Naomi Kratzer; an opening blessing from Sarah Prroj; an opening song from Eli Stoll; a performance of Stephen Paulus鈥� 鈥淭he Road Home鈥� by senior Chamber Singers members Erin Batten, Lauren Kauffman, Naomi Kratzer, Hollyn Miller, Jacob Nissley, Eli Stoll, Joshua Stucky, and Sean Swartley; poetry readings from Miranda Beidler and Emily Suarez Nunez; a sending blessing from Brian Martin Burkholder; sending music from Makinto; and reflections from senior class advisors Mark Metzler Sawin and Jonathan Swartz, who also handed out 黑料正能量 pins.

Graduates received pins representing the wisdom they鈥檝e shared and the investment and commitment they鈥檝e made during their time as students. They were encouraged to wear the pins at Commencement and beyond, honoring how 黑料正能量 has supported them in their learning and growth.

Mark Metzler Sawin and Jonathan Swartz, senior class advisors, offer their reflections.

Miranda Beidler (left) shares original poetry, while Sarah Prroj (right) gives an opening blessing.

During their four years at 黑料正能量, much has changed, Metzler Sawin told the graduates. Presidents, both nationally and at 黑料正能量, have changed, as has the power and scope of artificial intelligence. 鈥淏ut most importantly, yourselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e grown in many ways during these same four years.鈥�

Much has also stayed the same: 鈥淭he significance of human connection, the value of genuine relationships, and the core values that made you the unique and significant person you were when you arrived here and still are today,鈥� he added.

In her opening blessing, Prroj reflected on the moments that have challenged her and the relationships that have shaped her into who she is today. 黑料正能量 didn鈥檛 just educate her, she said, but also formed her, teaching her how to lead, listen, care, and become part of something bigger than herself. Sharing the words of pastor Rick Warren, she said that when people take their final breath, no one asks for their trophies, achievements, or diplomas.

鈥淭hey asked for the people they love,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause in the end, it鈥檚 not what we accomplish that matters most. It鈥檚 who we share our lives with. And that鈥檚 what makes 黑料正能量 so special. It鈥檚 not just a place of learning, but a place of community where we鈥檙e known, supported, and shaped by one another.鈥�

Watch a video recording of the ceremony below!

Hosted by Celeste Thomas, director of multicultural student services and CoachLink coach, and Micah Shristi, director of international student services, the ceremony featured a musical drum performance led by Makinto and his son, Jo毛l Friebe-Makinto.

Since 2016, the ceremony has celebrated graduates who honor their African and international roots. Each receives a handwoven stole of kente cloth, a symbol of prestige in many African societies, or a satin sash featuring the flags of countries they feel connected to.

Sashes at Saturday鈥檚 ceremony bore the flags of Albania, Argentina, Barbados, Burkina Faso, the Cherokee Nation, China, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Honduras, Iceland, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Oromia, Palestine, Peru, Puerto Rico, Senegal, South Sudan, and Uruguay.

Class of 2026 graduates take part in Saturday鈥檚 Donning of the Kente Ceremony in 黑料正能量鈥檚 MainStage Theater.

Jo毛l Friebe-Makinto (left) honors his father, Makinto. Celeste Thomas (right) welcomes attendees to the ceremony.

The ceremony celebrates achievement, encourages recipients to continue striving for excellence, and provides an intimate end-of-year experience. Each recipient selected a family member, friend, mentor, administrator, or faculty or staff member to place the stole or sash around their neck and offer remarks, sharing joyful and heartfelt stories and words of praise about each graduate.

Graduates wore the stoles and sashes at Commencement to honor their collective heritage and reflect on shared struggles and successes.

鈥淥ur hope is that they feel the support of their village,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淎dditionally, we hope the ceremony signals the college鈥檚 desire to meet the needs of all its students.鈥�

Micah Shristi honors a graduate during the ceremony.

Since 2016, the ceremony has celebrated graduates who honor their African and international roots.

Participants

The following graduates were recognized:

Makinto, a general theological certificate major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Mukarabe Makinto Inandava and Jo毛l Friebe-Makinto.听

鈥淵ou鈥檙e a clear example of how, no matter your age or where you are in life, you can accomplish anything,鈥� Friebe-Makinto told his father. 鈥淵ou are a continuous inspiration for me and someone I can always look to for guidance.鈥�

Esdras Burgos, accounting and business administration major from Charlottesville, Virginia, was donned by M. Esther Showalter.

Arelys Martinez Fabian, a Spanish language & Hispanic studies and education (PreK鈥�12) licensure from Winchester, Virginia, was donned by M. Esther Showalter.

Zazkia De la Vega, a marketing and business administration major from Cusco, Peru, was donned by M. Esther Showalter. 

Ankita Adhikari, a computer science major from Pokhara, Nepal, was donned by Micah Shristi.

Donovan Arnason, a digital media, photography, and design major from Stafford, Virginia, was donned by Phyllis Braxton Arnason.

Elili Asefa, a nursing major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was donned by Baati Ayana.

Irais Barrera Pinzon, a political science, Spanish language and Hispanic studies major from Richmond, Virginia, was donned by Wendell Shank.

Mimi Bayongwa, a social work major from Riverdale, Maryland, was donned by Dia Mekonnen and Perpetue Kaimba. 

Lemi Amanuel Bekele, a biochemistry major from Kansas City, Missouri, was donned by Micah Shristi.

Shristi recalled receiving an email from Bekele, who was waiting for his admissions decision in 2019. 鈥淗e sent me the following email, and I quote: 鈥楶lease answer me. To wait for your answer I am in the forest in a tree to get data and it鈥檚 too dark and cold,鈥欌�� Shristi read aloud. 鈥淭hat same determination carried Lemi through his years at 黑料正能量.鈥�

Jean Betancourt, a business administration major from Meridian, Mississippi, was donned by Angel Betancourt.

Nia Boyd, an art and writing studies major from Richmond, Virginia, was donned by Lenice Sudds.

Kylik Daquan Bradshaw, a liberal arts major from Crewe, Virginia, was donned by De’Andra Oliver, Te’Ahra Oliver, Theron Oliver, and Kayanna Bradshaw.

鈥淭hrough every season, you have shown resilience, courage, and determination beyond your years,鈥� Bradshaw鈥檚 mother said. 鈥淏ut your greatest gift has always been your heart, your love, your loyalty, and your strength. Even when you were challenged with difficulties, you never let it break you.鈥�

Chase Comer, a political science and history major from Timberville, Virginia, was donned by Amy Miller.

Ruach Dhieu Ruach Deng, a computer science major from Bor, South Sudan, was donned by Micah Shristi.

Odesa Elezi, a nursing major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Luis Elezi.

Jasmin Escamilla Ruiz, a digital media, photography, and design major from Bluemont, Virginia, was donned by Irma Ruiz Ramirez. 

LaToya Fernandez, an MA in restorative justice major from West Hartford, Connecticut, was donned by Lyric Bryant.

Genesis Figueroa, a political science, Spanish language and Hispanic studies major from Millersburg, Ohio, was donned by Mia Figueroa.

Leah Frankenfield, a psychology major from Moraga, California, was donned by Rachel Tusing.

Sofia Garcia Pini, an MA in restorative justice major from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was donned by Joe Cole.

Jamila Gaskins, an MA in conflict transformation major from Los Angeles, was donned by David Evans.

Emily Guin, a nursing major from Lovettsville, Virginia, was donned by Juan Guin.

Jacqueline Jackson, a nursing major from Staunton, Virginia, was donned by Jacqueline Badger-Jackson.

Jayda Lenae Jones, a social work major from Goodview, Virginia, was donned by Kim Jones.

Yohanna Kebede, a computer science major from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was donned by Haweni Tolosa.

Emae Klompenhouwer, a social work major from Newport News, Virginia, was donned by Remco Klompenhouwer.

Ramata Lam, a biomedicine major from Baltimore, was donned by Kaitlyn Upshaw.

Mallery Salemah McShine, an MA in restorative justice major from Fredericksburg, Virginia, was donned by LaToya Fernandez.

Dia Mekonnen, a social work and political science major from Silver Spring, Maryland, was donned by Deanna Reed.

Abraham Mekonnen, a computer science major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Noel Abeje. 

Last summer, Mekonnen interned at Morgan Stanley in New York City. This summer, he is headed to Northern California, where he will work for Palo Alto Networks. 鈥淗ow many people can say they鈥檙e hopping from Wall Street to Silicon Valley at 23 years old?鈥� his close friend Abeje said. 鈥淗ere鈥檚 the thing about Abraham: when the rest of us go to a mall, we typically just shop. Abraham asks the storekeepers how much they made that week and whether they鈥檇 recommend entering the industry. He鈥檚 constantly studying the world, ambitious, resilient, and relentlessly curious.鈥�

Fadi William Michael, a marketing major from Bethlehem, State of Palestine, was donned by Jim Leaman.

Diego Morales Torres, a computer science major from Ponce, Puerto Rico, was donned by Team Oosthuizen.

Zipola Nayituriki, a social work major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Mary Ann Zehr.

Tasia Ocaranza, an MA in education major from Staunton, Virginia, was donned by Kathy Evans.

Taylor Helenna Parker, a digital media, photography, and design major from Charlottesville, Virginia, was donned by Mikaela Brooks Fauver.

Royale M. Parker, a business administration and psychology major from San Bernardino County, California, was donned by Ruby Parker and Roy Parker.

Jennifer Perera, an MS in biomedicine major from Miami, was donned by Jose Perera.

Robyn Charda茅 Pratt, an MA in education major from Newport News, Virginia, was donned by Sandra Pratt.

Sarah Prroj, a business administration major from Shkoder, Albania, was donned by Micah Shristi.

Sharon Salinas Morales, a restorative justice in education major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Andrew Claassen.

Jacob Sankara, an MA in conflict transformation major from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, was donned by Gloria Rhodes.

Roumany Sefin, a business administration and medical lab science major from Port Said, Egypt, was donned by Jim Leaman.

Zoe Seifu, a nursing major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Nati Seifu.

Anisa Yousef Sharhabeel, a business administration major from Rockingham, Virginia, was donned by Rita Tutu.

Shayleigh Michelle Sims, a biology and secondary education (6-12) licensure major from Palmyra, Virginia, was donned by Kathy Evans.

Emily Suarez Nunez, a nursing major from McGaheysville, Virginia, was donned by Silvana Nunez.

Guadalupe Tenorio Ramirez, an accounting and business administration major from Hopewell, Virginia, was donned by Lindy Backues.

Cheylan Ury, a psychology major from Staunton, Virginia, was donned by Shaion Ury.

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus poses with Class of 2026 graduate Emily Suarez Nunez following the ceremony (left). Alumni returned to campus on Saturday to honor friends at the ceremony (right).

鈥淲e鈥檝e laughed together, we鈥檝e cried together,鈥� Shristi said in his closing remarks. 鈥淲hat a beautiful space.鈥�

The Donning of the Kente Ceremony is sponsored by Multicultural Student Services, International Student Services, and the Black Student Alliance.

Watch a video recording of the ceremony below!