If you鈥檝e ever attended an art show at the gallery that bears her name, stepped foot inside one of the many buildings on campus she helped to finance, or benefited from her endowed scholarship fund, you鈥檙e likely already familiar with the name Dr. Margaret Martin Gehman. What you might be less familiar with is the legacy of generosity and selfless service she embodied at 黑料正能量.

Gehman received a two-year degree from 黑料正能量 in 1942 and joined the faculty in 1944; she taught art and physical education classes until her retirement in 1987. The professor emerita taught a watercolor class through 1996 and served regularly as a volunteer on campus and with other local organizations. She was among 黑料正能量鈥檚 most generous philanthropists, establishing an endowed scholarship fund as well as program endowments for athletics, the humanities and special buildings on campus. In 2005, she became the first recipient of the eponymous 鈥満诹险芰� Philanthropist of the Year鈥� award. She died in August 2019 at age 97. 

Nearly a half-dozen years after her passing, Gehman鈥檚 boundless generosity continues to flourish and shape lives at 黑料正能量. A recent $400,000 gift from her estate will bolster the Margaret Martin Gehman Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provides general financial aid to undergraduate students. The gift increases the endowment fund to more than $500,000, which is expected to generate about $25,000 in direct financial aid each year.

While the fund previously supported one to two students each year, it can now benefit at least five students annually, according to Kirk Shisler ’81, vice president for advancement. 鈥淢argaret loved 黑料正能量,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he maintained continuous loyalty and appreciation for the students, alumni, many of whom remained her friends, and the strong sense of community she enjoyed throughout her many years here.鈥�

As one example of her love for 黑料正能量, look no further than the time she donated her beloved 1967 blue Volkswagen Beetle in 2010 to support student scholarships. 鈥満诹险芰� has been good to me over the years, and this is another way I can express my appreciation,鈥� she said in an article about the donation. 

Shisler said the latest gift from her estate brings Gehman鈥檚 total contributions to 黑料正能量 to just under $2 million. 鈥淭his puts an exclamation point on her many decades of support,鈥� he said.

In a 2012 article celebrating her 90th birthday, Gehman credited her parents with 鈥渢eaching the value of a lifestyle of simplicity and generosity.鈥� 鈥淭he Lord 鈥� has blessed me with the ability to serve and the opportunity to share with others,鈥� she said. 

For much of her time at 黑料正能量, Gehman was affectionately known as 鈥淪peedy.鈥� A student had bestowed the nickname on her, not only for introducing the game of speedball to campus but also for her energy, athleticism, and swiftness. 鈥淪he would dash across campus between classes,鈥� Shisler said. 鈥淪he would practically run from one place to another.鈥�

Even in her later years, the speed never left her. Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president for enrollment and long-time advancement professional at 黑料正能量, recalled watching his wife, Heidi Hoover ’10, escort Gehman to the art gallery named after her. 鈥淚 will never forget the image of 鈥楽peedy,鈥� at 94 years old, taking off down the hallway with my dear spouse having to jog to keep up with her, walker and all,鈥� he said. Hoover, like many on 黑料正能量鈥檚 advancement team, also knew the longtime donor by another name: 鈥淪aint Margaret.鈥�

One lesser-known detail about 鈥淪aint Margaret鈥� was her love for lending money to people and organizations in need. On several occasions, Shisler said, she loaned money to 黑料正能量 to fund certain projects. 鈥淪ometimes, she would turn around and forgive those loans, converting them into outright gifts,鈥� he added.

The fleet-footed philanthropist was a trailblazer, ahead of her time in many ways, as her nickname might suggest. She was among the first women graduates of 黑料正能量 to earn a doctorate, receiving hers in art education from George Peabody College (now part of Vanderbilt University) in 1962. Despite her plain dress and head covering, which may have given the impression that she was conservative, Gehman 鈥渇lowed with the times,鈥� according to Shisler. 鈥淗er loyalty to 黑料正能量 never wavered, even through periods of change and various cultural headwinds,鈥� he said.

黑料正能量 President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman described Gehman as 鈥渙ne of the most interesting, engaging, joyful and nonconformist鈥� donors she鈥檚 ever met. Former 黑料正能量 President Dr. Loren Swartzendruber has praised Gehman for her 鈥渋ncredible gift for frugality and generosity, a rare blend that you do not typically find.鈥�

It was this frugality that became the stuff of legend. Today, those on campus who were lucky enough to have known her exchange stories of her resourcefulness and ingenuity with a smile. Gehman was known to keep her lights off as long as possible to save electricity. In the evenings, as the sunlight faded, passersby could spot her silhouette in the window, leaning toward the nearest streetlamp with a book in her hands to get enough light for reading. 

Your generous support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Together, we can help write 黑料正能量鈥檚 next chapter. 

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It鈥檚 hard for Kaleb Wyse 鈥�10 to pinpoint exactly what drew him to 黑料正能量.

Sure, he had plenty of connections to the school. His older sister and two cousins are 黑料正能量 alumni. A graduate of Iowa Mennonite School (now known as Hillcrest Academy), Wyse said he isn鈥檛 sure what it was about 黑料正能量. He just liked it more than the other schools he visited.

鈥淚 felt more at home at 黑料正能量 than anywhere else,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t just felt like the right campus for me.鈥�

Wyse is a content creator who shares delicious recipes, gardening tips and home decor projects with more than a million followers through his , and various social media platforms, all under the 鈥淲yse Guide鈥� handle. The culinary entrepreneur majored in accounting and business administration at 黑料正能量, where he gained the skills needed to build his brand. It鈥檚 also where he met his business partner and college friend, Joel Kratzer 鈥�10.

The two 黑料正能量 grads launched their passion project in 2012. They maintained the website as a 鈥渘ight and weekend thing,鈥� Wyse said, while working regular jobs. 黑料正能量 seven years into their venture, the site started to take off. Wyse said he shifted in his approach, serving up more authentic content with stories personal to his life. 鈥淭hen, when COVID hit,鈥� he added, 鈥渆veryone was looking for help with gardening, preserving, and cooking or baking at home.鈥� Wyse and Kratzer began working on the site full time in 2021. Today, their multimedia company is comprised of a team of six.

Wyse said his time at 黑料正能量 taught him to be more open and honest with others. He pointed to his intercultural program, a three-week voyage to Greece and Turkey led by Dr. Linford Stutzman 鈥�84, SEM 鈥�90, as a pivotal experience. Packed into close quarters with other students he didn鈥檛 know well, Wyse found that the trip offered him a crash course in forming new connections. 鈥淭hat trip is something I think about a lot,鈥� he said. 

黑料正能量鈥檚 small class sizes helped him thrive as a student. 鈥淚 could walk into my professors鈥� offices and talk to them instead of a teaching assistant,鈥� Wyse said. 鈥淚鈥檓 someone who needs personal connection and having that at 黑料正能量 really supported me. I didn鈥檛 feel like I was just a number.鈥�

Another advantage of attending 黑料正能量 is the wealth of scholarships accessible to students. Wyse received the Horace & Elizabeth Longacre Business Scholarship during his four years as a Royal. He remembers writing thank-you cards to the Longacre family and feeling a personal connection to them through the award, which is named in honor of a philanthropic couple from southeastern Pennsylvania who were staunch supporters of 黑料正能量. 

鈥淭he fact that someone believed it was important for me to receive a good education at a great school was both impactful and humbling,鈥� Wyse said.

His debut cookbook, There鈥檚 Always Room at the Table, is now a New York Times’ bestseller. The collection of recipes and stories was published by HarperCollins earlier this month and is at online retailers.

This isn鈥檛 the first time 黑料正能量 News has covered his exploits. Wyse landed a one-day cohosting gig on The Rachael Ray Show in 2015. In 2021, he returned to campus during 黑料正能量 Homecoming and Family Weekend as a featured speaker for the annual TenTalks event.

Wyse is the fourth generation to live on his family farm in southeast Iowa. Follow him at:

Your generous support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Together, we can help write 黑料正能量鈥檚 next chapter. 

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Trina Trotter Nussbaum 鈥�00, MA 鈥�17 will never forget the first time she saw the view from the Campus Center balcony. Standing on the balcony overlooking the Front Lawn and gazing east toward the Blue Ridge Mountains, the then-first-year student recalled telling a friend: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what I鈥檓 going to study, but I know this is where I need to be. This is my place.鈥�

鈥淎ll it took was one look at those mountains, and they seemed to tell me, 鈥榊ou belong here,鈥欌�� Trotter Nussbaum said.聽

That was nearly 30 years ago. Today, Trotter Nussbaum is the new director of the Center for Interfaith Engagement, a position she鈥檚 held since Jan. 1. She still feels that same sense of belonging at 黑料正能量 and works to ensure others on campus feel it too. Through her role at CIE, she celebrates and supports students, faculty and staff from a wide range of faith traditions and backgrounds.聽

It was a long road that led her to 黑料正能量. After graduating from high school in North Lima, Ohio, Trotter Nussbaum, who was raised Mennonite, moved to Pittsburgh and completed travel agency school. She gradually learned that it wasn鈥檛 the career for her. Returning home to Ohio, she ran into a childhood friend about to graduate from 黑料正能量 who told her, 鈥淵ou should give 黑料正能量 a try.鈥� It was just the push she needed.聽

Trotter Nussbaum arrived on campus in the fall of 1995 as a 22-year-old first-year English major. She was older than the others in her Northlawn dorm, but she saw that as a blessing. 鈥淚t helped me settle down and figure out what I wanted to do.鈥�

That turned out to be theater. Trotter Nussbaum credits 黑料正能量鈥檚 theater program with recognizing her strengths as a performer and teaching her invaluable listening and improv skills. During the second semester of her junior year, she added a psychology major. Though it delayed her graduation by another year, she said it ended up being one of the best decisions she ever made. 鈥淚 might not be acting or counseling right now, but I draw on those skills every day,鈥� Trotter Nussbaum said. She graduated in 2000 with bachelor鈥檚 degrees in theater and psychology, along with a minor in justice, peace and conflict studies. She said professors in her justice and theology classes challenged her faith with love and grace, ultimately strengthening it and shaping her into the faith-based peacebuilder she is today.

After a decade spent working at nonprofits and government agencies, Trotter Nussbaum returned to 黑料正能量 in 2013 as associate director of CIE. Fueled by formative experiences during a 1998 intercultural trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland, she began pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in conflict transformation at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. It took her another five years to complete the two-year program while working at CIE and raising two children. In 2017, she earned her MA.

Ever the lifelong learner, Trotter Nussbaum continues to seek out further education. She鈥檚 working toward earning MDiv equivalency so that she can enroll in the new Doctor of Ministry program at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.聽

Over the years, she鈥檚 received numerous scholarships as a student. She said those scholarships, as well as 黑料正能量鈥檚 tuition benefits for employees, made it possible for her to continue her studies. 鈥淚 love how 黑料正能量 encourages its employees to take the classes they want to take,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he ability to take classes, even one at a time, for almost free is such a blessing.鈥�

Trotter Nussbaum and her husband, Brian Nussbaum 鈥�00, live in Harrisonburg with their two children. Her brother, Travis Trotter 鈥�99, serves as university registrar for 黑料正能量.

Your generous support helps students like Trotter Nussbaum pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Together, we can help write 黑料正能量鈥檚 next chapter.

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Makinto has pretty much done it all. The Liberian-German musician, storyteller, educator, worship leader, Mennonite pastor, activist鈥攈onestly, there are too many descriptors for him to name here鈥攈as played piano for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican and for Nelson Mandela in Germany. He鈥檚 traveled the world extensively, performing at venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York, the Sydney Opera House in Australia, and for a crowd of 200,000 at Brazil鈥檚 largest soccer stadium. His humanitarian work in Africa and recognition as an international recording artist earned him the title of Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Development for an of the United Nations.聽

Just about the only thing he hasn鈥檛 done is attend a four-year college. He simply never had time for it during his four decades as a global performer. Thanks to the flexibility of 黑料正能量鈥檚 online and hybrid courses as well as the generosity of donors through the seminary scholarship, can now check that item off his list. 

The single-named polymath is a second-semester graduate student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in Christian leadership. His wife, Mukarabe, first pulled him into the orbit of 黑料正能量, enrolling at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at the start of last year. 

鈥淚t would be impossible for us to finance two degrees if it weren鈥檛 for the largesse of the donors through the seminary scholarship,鈥� Makinto said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very grateful for that.鈥�

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he earned a two-year associate鈥檚 degree. Along with his 15 years as a pastor, he had enough equivalent experience to enroll at the seminary. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great that I鈥檓 able to participate in a master鈥檚 program based not just on academic history but also on life history,鈥� he said.

One of his earliest impressions of 黑料正能量 came during a visit to campus in November 2023 for the annual Music Gala Concert. Makinto, the featured performer of the night, put on a dazzling show as he played the djembe, kalimba, flute and piano. That evening, after touring the campus and meeting a great number of people, Makinto said he and his wife 鈥渞esonated really well with 黑料正能量.鈥�

鈥淲e felt at home here,鈥� said Makinto. 鈥淓veryone felt like family.鈥�

The couple, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1999, lead , a nonprofit dedicated to giving hope and restoring dignity to Burundian refugees and equipping them to participate in the transformation of African communities. The word 鈥淎mahoro鈥� comes from the Kirundi (Burundian) expression for peace that conveys blessings, well-being and fullness of life. The organization is a Conference-Related Ministry of Mosaic Mennonite Conference.

Makinto said that he鈥檚 working on bringing an initiative called 鈥淎mahoro Drumming for Peace鈥� to 黑料正能量. The program would bring people from diverse backgrounds together to make music and reflect on community.

He said that he鈥檚 excited to become part of 黑料正能量鈥檚 global network of partners and alumni to contribute to and collaborate on peace initiatives. 鈥淲e can build something together,鈥� he said.

Makinto and Mukarabe live in Harrisonburg with their son Jo毛l, the youngest of their six children. Makinto can often be found at Martin Chapel on Tuesday mornings leading worship music with a bright smile and joyful spirit. He will perform as a guest artist at Love, Joy & Peace: A Choral Celebration! on Friday, March 14, at Lehman Auditorium. The concert will bring together three choirs and showcase a piano collaboration between Makinto and Dr. David Berry, director of the music program at 黑料正能量. 

Your generous support helps students like Makinto pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Together, we can help write 黑料正能量鈥檚 next chapter. 

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Olivia Beiler 鈥�23 got an early start in nursing.

At an age when most kids dread the sight of needles, the eight-year-old from Chester County in Southeastern Pennsylvania was giving out flu shots. Every year around Thanksgiving, her grandfather, the late Dr. John Rutt 鈥�59, would immunize their whole family and offer his arm to her for practice.

鈥淲henever he would give me a flu shot, I would give him one, too,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t became a yearly tradition.鈥�

Beiler, now a registered nurse at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center鈥檚 Pauley Heart Center, is following in the footsteps of her beloved grandfather. At the Richmond-based hospital, she cares for patients with a wide range of cardiovascular concerns, from those recovering from heart transplant surgery to those with arrhythmias.

She said 黑料正能量鈥檚 nationally-accredited nursing program, aided by its small class sizes, prepared her well by giving her experience in all kinds of clinical settings, including in an OB/GYN unit, an operating room, and alongside a nurse anesthetist in a dentist鈥檚 office. That鈥檚 something that isn鈥檛 done at many larger nursing schools.

鈥満诹险芰库�檚 amazing nursing program encouraged us to immerse ourselves in our experiences and do as much as we could,鈥� Beiler said. 鈥満诹险芰� boosted my confidence in working with patients and helped me to understand the different roles within nursing.鈥�

Last summer, at the end of her first year on the job, Beiler was recognized for her commitment to care with the New Grad of the Year Award for Nursing Excellence, voted on by the nurses and care techs in her unit. 鈥淭hat was a huge honor,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was very affirming in the work I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

Before arriving on campus in 2019, Beiler knew all about 黑料正能量. In addition to her grandfather, her grandmother, Rebecca Hartzler Rutt 鈥�59 (a niece of the library鈥檚 namesake, Sadie Hartzler), graduated from Eastern Mennonite. But, having grown up Mennonite and attending Lancaster Mennonite School, her mind was set on studying elsewhere. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to do something different,鈥� she recalled thinking.

Ultimately, 黑料正能量鈥檚 nursing program proved too promising to ignore. She had been searching for a school with smaller class sizes and hands-on experience that wasn鈥檛 ultra-competitive like some other programs. 鈥淚 knew how amazing the program was,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t felt like the right decision, and once I made that choice, I felt at peace, knowing 黑料正能量 was 100 percent where I was supposed to be.鈥�

Beiler said that receiving the 黑料正能量 Academic Achievement Scholarship also helped seal her decision to come to 黑料正能量. It’s scholarships like this one and the financial aid packages given to 100 percent of undergraduate 黑料正能量 students that empower them to pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. “Being able to go to a university where you’re able to get that financial support right off the bat allows you to be more integrated in your program and definitely helps with some of that financial stress,” Beiler said.

Recently, she has taken a nursing student under her wing through VCU鈥檚 preceptorship program. She said she鈥檚 excited to teach her student all the lessons she learned as a young RN and share her passion for nursing. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been someone who loves to care for people,鈥� she said.

Your generous support helps students like Beiler pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Together, we can help write 黑料正能量鈥檚 next chapter.

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As a native of Waterloo, Ontario, 黑料正能量 sophomore Willem Hedrick 鈥�27 often hears the same question: “Why would you choose to attend a university in the U.S. when tuition is so much cheaper in Canada?” people ask him. 

The answer is that 黑料正能量 isn鈥檛 just any university. Its unparalleled emphasis on academic excellence, peace & justice, and active faith was the unique blend of values that Hedrick was looking for in a school. 黑料正能量鈥檚 robust Visual and Communication Arts (VACA) department, its small class sizes and personalized approach to hands-on learning, its strong sense of community鈥攏ot to mention its top-flight disc golf team鈥攎ade 黑料正能量 more than just a place for him to continue his learning; it was the only place.

鈥満诹险芰� was the only school I applied to,鈥� said Hedrick, who is majoring in digital media with a minor in marketing. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 look anywhere else.鈥�

From a young age, Hedrick discovered a way to combine his love of video games with a passion for making videos. The 11-year-old would record himself playing Minecraft on his computer and upload the videos to YouTube. He still does that, but now on a much grander scale. Today, his channel boasts more than eight million subscribers (for reference, the YouTube channel for the Red Hot Chili Peppers has 8.1 million subscribers), which is part of the 15 million followers who watch his content across various platforms. 

Hedrick said his digital media classes at 黑料正能量 have taught him new skills, including how to shoot documentary films, record better audio, and use proper lighting techniques. Last semester, through a weekend workshop at 黑料正能量, he became a certified commercial drone pilot. It鈥檚 something, he said, he鈥檚 wanted to do 鈥渇or the longest time.鈥�

鈥淏eing in a classroom, having a professor there to give me feedback, and having projects to hold me accountable has been so helpful,鈥� he said.

Outside of the classroom, Hedrick found a sense of belonging on the disc golf course. He was a member of last year鈥檚 squad that competed at nationals and will return with the team to Rock Hill, South Carolina, this year as it competes at the 2025 College Disc Golf National Championship in April.

Hedrick, who was raised Mennonite, had considered taking a gap year after graduating from high school (Rockway Mennonite Collegiate) to devote more time to his video projects. It wasn鈥檛 until his parents, 黑料正能量 grads Tim and Janice 鈥�94, suggested he take a look at their alma mater that he thought seriously about higher education. 黑料正能量 awarded him the President鈥檚 Scholarship, which has significantly helped bring his college costs down. It鈥檚 not quite to the same level as the cost of college in Canada, but it鈥檚 close enough.

鈥淚t definitely made my decision to come here much easier,鈥� Hedrick said about his scholarships. (He is also a VACA scholarship recipient.)

Your generous support helps students like Hedrick pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Together, we can help write 黑料正能量鈥檚 next chapter.