Eric Brubaker 鈥�01

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trent Wagler 鈥�02

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cynthia Lapp 鈥�86

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kirk Livers 鈥�11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch a recording of the event below!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHEN ML LORMEJUSTE ’25 arrived at the Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center (WCSC) during the fall of 2024, he admits he wasn鈥檛 there to make friends. 鈥淚 was just there to do what I needed to do and move on,鈥� recalled the public health major. As the semester progressed, Lormejuste was nudged out of his comfort zone by social outings and group activities鈥攁nd found himself forming close friendships with his eight housemates and discovering the value of community. Reflecting on that semester spent in Washington, DC, he said, 鈥淚 love that group鈥� They became a part of me.鈥� 

Lormejuste is one of more than 1,000 students whose lives have been transformed through 黑料正能量鈥檚 longest-running intercultural program, which is celebrating its 50th year of connecting students with internships, urban studies coursework, and shared community life. Launched in 1976, the program originally operated as the Washington Study-Service Year (WSSY) until 2002, when it was renamed Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center (WCSC) as part of a shift from a yearlong format to three shorter terms per year. 

These transitions have allowed the program to stay relevant and responsive. Program staff spent the past two years gathering input for a new name from its alumni, 黑料正能量 students, and campus faculty and staff stakeholders. In April, the Provost鈥檚 Council and President鈥檚 Cabinet approved rebranding the program to the 黑料正能量 Washington Semester. 

The 黑料正能量 Washington Semester offers fall and spring semester terms and a 10-week summer session. It remains the only urban studies program among Anabaptist-affiliated institutions and draws students from schools across the country, including Bethel College, Bluffton University, Goshen College, and Viterbo University. 

Living, learning, and launching careers

Up to 15 students in the 黑料正能量 Washington Semester share cooking responsibilities, manage a collective food budget, and work together to maintain their home at the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast DC. Alumni over the past five decades point to their experiences in the program as a highlight of their college careers, if not their lives. 

鈥淚 never realized what a great program this was. I learned valuable lessons in adulting, from navigating a large city to living in community,鈥� said Meredith Lehman ’25, 黑料正能量鈥檚 first Rhodes Scholar. 

Like many students, her internship paved the way to a future career opportunity. She interned at the Institute for Policy Studies this spring and returned to DC over the summer to work as a fellow at the progressive think tank. 鈥淓veryone should do this program, no matter their major,鈥� said Lehman, who double majored in political science and biology. 

Cynthia Lapp ’86, a music education graduate and pastor at Hyattsville Mennonite Church in Maryland, has benefited from the program in multiple ways. She was a student from 1983 to 1984, later served on staff for four years, and continues to support program interns at her church. Many of those interns have gone on to become pastors themselves. 

Lapp said her internship at Elizabeth Seton High School opened the door to a teaching position after college. She added that the program is especially meaningful for students new to community living. 鈥淪urrounding ourselves with people from different cultures and backgrounds helps us see beyond the way we think and live, including how our decisions impact those around us.鈥� 

Some students find their perfect match through the program鈥攏ot just professionally, but romantically. Alumnus Micah Shristi ’00, an English major who now works as director of International Student Services at 黑料正能量, met his wife, Charlotte Gingerich Shristi, a Goshen College alumna, while in the program from 1998 to 1999. Many of his housemates from that year are among his closest friends, including Nathan Musselman ’00, who now lives next door. 

鈥淲hat鈥檚 wild is that there鈥檚 another couple from our year,鈥� he said. 鈥�Jenelle Hershey ’99 and Keith Hoover ’00 also got married after their time together in the program.鈥� 

A ‘Good’ start 

In the fall of 1976, a scrappy academic program began immersing students in the cultured community of the nation鈥檚 capital. Nelson Good ’68, who came to DC as a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, founded and directed the program until his retirement in 1987. 

The program, like the city around it, has seen plenty of changes. From the shift to three shorter terms and an accompanying name change in 2002 to a 2005 move from South Dakota Avenue to its current location on Taylor Street, the program has continued to evolve to meet the needs of its students and an ever-changing higher education landscape. 

鈥淭he new name more clearly communicates the program as a university-run academic offering, is grounded in the context of our nation鈥檚 capital, and is easy to remember and say. It also aligns with common naming conventions used by other universities鈥� DC-based programs, making it more recognizable regionally and beyond,鈥� said Ryan Good, 黑料正能量 Washington Semester director and son of the late Nelson Good. 

While evolving, the program has remained committed to supporting students鈥� personal and career development. Students consistently report leaving the program with improved professional confidence, greater clarity about career direction, more comfort in working with people who are different than they are, and increased awareness of systemic injustices, said Good. 

鈥淒ad would be thrilled to see the ways this program has evolved over the years. Though much has changed, the bones of the program he envisioned remain the same鈥� supporting students as they make sense of who they are in a complex world, both personally and professionally.鈥� 

Two events will celebrate the program鈥檚 50th anniversary: a reunion during Homecoming 2025 on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 1-3 p.m. in the Student Union, and a spring gathering at the Nelson Good House on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. 

For more information about the 黑料正能量 Washington Semester, visit:

This story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Crossroads magazine.