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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch a recording of the ceremony below!

Eric Brubaker 鈥�01

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trent Wagler 鈥�02

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cynthia Lapp 鈥�86

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kirk Livers 鈥�11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch a recording of the event below!

Nathan Leopard, vice president for advancement, welcomed the alumni back home.

鈥淭here are decades of friendship here,鈥� he said. 鈥淪tories that probably get a little better every time they鈥檙e told, and people who helped shape this university through their lives. Whether you return every year, every day, or this is your first time back in a while, we鈥檙e grateful you鈥檙e here.鈥�

J. Melvin Janzen 鈥�72, a Harrisonburg resident who works part time in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Intensive English Program, reflected on the significance of returning to campus.

鈥淭here鈥檚 something about coming back to this place and learning about what has happened in the past 50 years,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ach year, this event grows larger and larger, which is really exciting. This year, we had 110 people registered.鈥�

Class of 1976 President Dr. Ann Graber Hershberger 鈥�76 and Dr. Michael King 鈥�76 spoke at the luncheon.

Hershberger, an emeritus professor of nursing at 黑料正能量 and executive director of Mennonite Central Committee from 2020-26, read from journal entries she wrote as a student. She later earned her master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees at the University of Virginia and credited her 黑料正能量 education with preparing her for graduate studies.

鈥満诹险芰� prepared me in a specific way,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 found out when I went to grad school that I was more prepared than other people. It was really quite amazing.鈥�

King, owner of Cascadia Publishing House and dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary from 2010-17, reflected on his experiences as a student and an atheist on campus.

鈥淭hank you, 黑料正能量,” he told his fellow alumni. “Thank you to all of my classmates and colleagues, without whom I wouldn鈥檛 have lived the life I鈥檝e been grateful to have.鈥�

President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus welcomed the Class of 1976 home for its 50th reunion and reflected on the changes that took place during their years on campus.

鈥淓ach of you and the university have changed,鈥� she said. 鈥淵our years at EMC came at a time when change was quite literally visible across campus.鈥�

Those changes included major renovations to Lehman Auditorium and the installation of a pipe organ in 1974-75, along with the dedication of the Discipleship Center on the 黑料正能量 Hill in April 1975. In fall 1974, author Alex Haley, who would publish Roots two years later, visited campus as part of a lecture-music series. In 1976, the cross-country team won a national championship, and the university鈥檚 social work program earned accreditation.

In 1975, 黑料正能量 received a new computer that was housed in the administration building and operated using punched cards.

鈥淏y early 1976, The Weather Vane was marveling at its ability to keep track of prospective students and current students, manage grades and transcripts, and handle bookstore accounts. So apparently, even 50 years ago, 黑料正能量 was already trying to keep track of you,鈥� Dycus joked.

鈥淎nd I鈥檓 very glad we did,鈥� she continued. 鈥淏ecause the most important story of your time is not ultimately about buildings or curricula, computers or championships, or even the changes taking place around you. It鈥檚 about what happened after you left. For 50 years, you have carried pieces of this place with you.鈥�

Ciela Acosta, a senior from Salem, Oregon, majoring in peacebuilding and development, thanked alumni for their generosity in helping students like her afford an 黑料正能量 education.

鈥淚鈥檓 allowed to be fully human here, and that also means my academics have pushed me beyond essays and grades,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have been challenged to critically evaluate my perspectives that used to seem so normal and question my place in the world.鈥�

Watch a recording of the event below!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch a recording of the event below!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Registration required
鈼哖residential Inauguration Event
Livestreamed on YouTube

Friday, Oct. 9

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

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

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

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

Saturday, Oct. 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday, Oct. 11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eric Brubaker 鈥�01, fiddler and founding member of the folk-rock band The Steel Wheels, jokes that he owes his touring career to 黑料正能量.

The social work major performed in the 黑料正能量 Orchestra and choir and toured Cuba with the Chamber Singers. Music had always been an important part of his life, but he never imagined it would become his profession.

When he and four other students formed a bluegrass band called Reuben鈥檚 Potted Ferns during his junior year, 黑料正能量鈥檚 Admissions Office sent the group on a 10-day recruiting tour during the spring of 2000. The band played 16 shows, primarily at Mennonite schools and churches throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio.

鈥淪o, I blame 黑料正能量 for starting off my touring career,鈥� Brubaker said with a laugh.

After graduating, he quickly realized that a career in social work was not for him. He returned to music, joining fellow 黑料正能量 alumni Trent Wagler 鈥�02 and Brian Dickel 鈥�98 and Goshen College graduate Jay Lapp to form what would become .

More than two decades, two additional band members, and over a dozen studio albums later, Brubaker and his bandmates have carved out a successful career as musicians.

鈥淚 know that鈥檚 a hard thing to do, and 黑料正能量 gave me a great starting place for that,鈥� Brubaker said. 鈥淚 was allowed to find myself here. I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be, and here I was able to study different things but also continue to play music.鈥�

He said his time in the Chamber Singers under Professor Emeritus Dr. Kenneth J. Nafziger taught him the importance of listening to the people he performs with.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 have a band that lasts for 20 years without truly listening to each other: on stage, off stage, musically, and relationally,鈥� he said.

Beyond performing, Brubaker uses music to bring people together and build community. He is a co-founder of the , hosted annually by the band in nearby Mount Solon, Virginia, which has featured artists including Old Crow Medicine Show, Lucinda Williams, and Steve Earle.

He also hosts , a four-day music camp at 黑料正能量 that teaches roughly 140 students ages 5 to 19鈥攁dults joined the program for the first time this year鈥攖o play string instruments. Participants perform on stage with The Steel Wheels during the music festival.

鈥淢usic creates a moment where everyone is focusing on the same thing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not politics. It鈥檚 not religion. It鈥檚 just a gathering of humanity that wants to celebrate something beautiful.鈥�

Brubaker鈥檚 commitment to connecting communities through music has earned him 黑料正能量鈥檚 2026 Alum of the Year Award. The award recognizes alumni for significant achievements in their profession, community, or church and serves to inspire others to lead lives of service and vocational excellence.

鈥淚鈥檓 honored,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are so many people who have done amazing work, and so many people working hard behind the scenes who never receive acclaim.鈥�

The community Brubaker has spent years helping build became especially meaningful in 2019, when he and his wife lost their young daughter, Norah, to a sudden illness.

鈥淲e were surrounded not only by our artistic community, the people who loved the band and the music we made, but also by the community surrounding 黑料正能量 and the larger Mennonite community,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey were incredibly supportive.鈥�

Today, Brubaker and his wife, Peggy 鈥�00, are continuing their commitment to making music accessible. They recently formed the nonprofit Red Wing Academy Foundation, which provides scholarships for students to attend the camp.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been amazing to connect with people who want to help pass music on to a younger generation,鈥� he said.

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

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

A last-minute road trip led Hannah Chappell-Dick 鈥�16 to 黑料正能量, where she became one of the most accomplished distance runners in program history.

A biology major with minors in exercise science and honors, Chappell-Dick wasn鈥檛 initially focused on Mennonite colleges. She joined a friend traveling to Honors Weekend and quickly found herself drawn to 黑料正能量.

鈥淚 absolutely loved it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 stayed overnight in the dorms, and we stayed up really late talking about ideas. It just felt like the people were really invested in intellectual curiosity.鈥�

The Bluffton, Ohio, native made an immediate mark on 黑料正能量 athletics. In cross-country, she earned First Team All-ODAC honors four times, was a two-time All-South/Southeast Region selection, qualified twice for the NCAA National Championships, and earned All-American honors in 2015.

Her track and field career was even more decorated. Chappell-Dick won 11 ODAC championships, earned 12 First Team All-ODAC honors, and qualified for five NCAA National Championships. She became a four-time All-American in the indoor mile and outdoor 1500 meters, received two Co-黑料正能量 Female Athlete of the Year awards and the Co-黑料正能量 Female President鈥檚 Award, and was named a top-30 honoree for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award after winning the ODAC鈥檚 Marjorie Berkley Award in 2016.

While she graduated holding 10 school records, Chappell-Dick says 黑料正能量鈥檚 greatest influence was its emphasis on global citizenship.

鈥満诹险芰� gave me the tools to see people who are different from me as people first.鈥�

She is now head cross-country coach and assistant men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 track and field coach at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Chappell-Dick will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

Jess Rheinheimer Bishop 鈥�16 chose 黑料正能量 because of its people. The Manheim, Pennsylvania, native appreciated head women鈥檚 basketball coach Kevin Griffin鈥檚 persistence in recruiting her, but it was 黑料正能量鈥檚 diverse community that ultimately set it apart.

鈥淚 wanted something a little different,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 appreciated all the different backgrounds and the people I knew I was going to be playing with.鈥�

A nursing major, Bishop became one of the most decorated women鈥檚 basketball players in program history. She helped lead the Royals to an 84-26 record and two ODAC Tournament championship game appearances during her four-year career.

After earning All-ODAC Second Team honors as a sophomore, Bishop exploded onto the national stage in 2014-15. She was named ODAC Player of the Year, VaSID State Player of the Year, a D3hoops.com First Team All-American, and the recipient of the Jostens Trophy, awarded annually to the top NCAA Division III basketball player for excellence in athletics, academics, and community service. She also earned Co-黑料正能量 Female Athlete of the Year honors.

As a senior, Bishop repeated as ODAC Player of the Year, was named D3hoops.com South Region Player of the Year, and earned another D3hoops.com All-American selection. She also received the Co-黑料正能量 Female Athlete of the Year and Co-黑料正能量 Female President鈥檚 Award. She finished her career with 1,567 points, the third-most in program history.

Today, Bishop has spent a decade as an oncology nurse at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She credits Coach Griffin with teaching her that effective leadership requires more than setting an example.

鈥淣ot just leading by example, but offering encouraging words … and being a mentor.鈥�

She and her husband, Jonny 鈥�17, have two children, Turner and Aven.

Bishop will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

Sarah Roth Shank 鈥�10 faced a difficult college choice: follow her siblings to Goshen College to play soccer or attend 黑料正能量 to continue her field hockey career. She chose 黑料正能量, a decision that launched an outstanding athletic career and opened the door to countless opportunities beyond the field.

A history major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with minors in pre-law, political studies, and peacebuilding, Roth Shank was a four-year midfielder for Royals field hockey, helping lead the team to four consecutive ODAC championship game appearances. She earned All-ODAC honors three times, including First Team recognition in 2007 and 2009, was twice named to the VaSID All-State Second Team, and earned a spot on the 2009 All-ODAC Tournament Team. In 2010, she received the 黑料正能量 President鈥檚 Award, recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, faith, leadership, campus involvement, and community service.

Beyond athletics, Roth Shank embraced campus life.

鈥淚 was highly driven and wanted to be involved,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 didn’t need to just hyperfocus on playing my sport. I was able to do that, go on a cross-cultural, and be involved in student leadership.鈥�

After spending the past nine years in New Zealand, while she earned a PhD in public policy and restorative justice, Roth Shank is returning to the United States with her husband, Benjamin 鈥�10, and their two children. The family is settling in Columbus, Ohio, where she will continue her consulting work while teaching university courses at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Roth Shank will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

For Ryan Eshleman-Robles 鈥�13, choosing 黑料正能量 was an easy decision. A Harrisonburg native and third-generation Royal, he followed his father, Rodney Eshleman 鈥�88, and grandfather, D. Rohrer Eshleman 鈥�45, to 黑料正能量 after playing soccer at Eastern Mennonite School.

鈥淚 knew where I was and why,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 loved it. It was an easy choice for me.鈥�

A biology and philosophy & theology double major with an English minor, Eshleman-Robles anchored the Royals鈥� defense for four seasons, appearing in 77 matches as a center back. Though defenders rarely receive the spotlight, he embraced the role, saying he gave up 鈥渋ndividual glory to get some wins.鈥�

His play earned him two First Team All-ODAC selections, two VaSID All-State First Team honors, and a spot on the 2011 ODAC All-Tournament Team. In 2012, he was named the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

His career culminated with the 2012-13 黑料正能量 President鈥檚 Award, recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, faith, leadership, campus involvement, and community service.

Having recently completed a PhD at Texas Tech University, Eshleman-Robles, who lives in Rockingham County with his wife, Valeria, and their two children, is returning to where his journey began. This fall, he will teach English at Eastern Mennonite School while serving as head varsity boys soccer coach.

Eshleman-Robles will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

鈥淚 get out of the car and these two girls are running by and, all of a sudden, one of them says, 鈥楬i, Dottie,鈥欌�� said Weber. That student turned out to be Maria Longenecker, a senior biology major who had Weber as an eighth grade teacher.

鈥淢aria was one of the students I wanted to see,鈥� Weber said. 鈥淎nd here she was, the first person I meet on campus. It鈥檚 unbelievable.鈥�

Her husband Tim chimed in: 鈥淵ou have to understand, we could be at the top of Mount Everest and she鈥檇 know somebody. We could go anywhere and inevitably someone will say, 鈥楾here鈥檚 Dottie!鈥欌��

Weber recalled last being on campus in 2005 to cater the wedding reception of alumna and former faculty member Catherine R. Mumaw. She was one of nearly 70 members of the Class of 1975 making a special trip back to 黑料正能量 this weekend for their milestone 50th reunion during Homecoming 2025. 

As she and a group of classmates sat at a table in the Seminary Building on Friday leafing through a Shenandoah yearbook from 1975, they marveled at old photos and reminisced, sharing stories and memories from their time at 黑料正能量. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing who I can remember from these photos,鈥� someone says. 

Another alumna asks, 鈥淒oes anyone remember taking classes in the old chicken house? Is this the building where it used to be?鈥�

One of those classmates, Julia Shultz King 鈥�75, traveled all the way from Melbourne, Australia, to attend the homecoming festivities. After graduating with a nursing degree, she worked for the Medical College of Virginia and eventually the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, before serving as a missionary with Youth With A Mission. She has lived the past 13 years in Australia. 

She shared a story about putting out a fire in the Northlawn dormitory, after someone had left a candle near the window and a curtain had caught alight. This was the first reunion she could remember attending. She had missed the 50th reunion for her high school in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, because Australia had been in lockdown in 2021, and so 鈥渋t made me extra want to be here,鈥� she said. 

鈥淚鈥檓 happy to be well enough that I could travel alone to get here,鈥� King said.

Her friend, Weber, said something similar: 鈥淲ho knows, at this age, you might not be able to come back in another five years.鈥�

This group of alumni, said Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, who serves as director of alumni engagement and community connections at 黑料正能量, was the only graduating class to ever create a two-volume yearbook. The Class of 1975 welcomed Alex Haley, author of Roots, to campus as part of a lecture music series. And the cross country team made 黑料正能量 history, becoming the National Christian College Athletic Association cross country champion that year. 

鈥淭here was also a unique tradition that happened during y鈥檃ll鈥檚 time here,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ewly engaged students were thrown in the fishing pond. A lot of people got engaged that year, from what I鈥檝e learned.鈥�

Homecoming weekend is all about celebrating and reconnecting with one another, with this campus, and with the values that make 黑料正能量 such a special place, Reed said during the on Saturday morning. 鈥淲hether you’re an alum returning after many years or a student just beginning your journey, this is a time to remember that 黑料正能量 is family,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd there’s always a place for you here.鈥�

Keep reading for highlights and photos from the weekend鈥檚 events!

Seated on a couch in the Student Union, Doris Horst Toll 鈥�79 and her husband Marvin took the morning on Saturday to relax and unwind as they sipped on a hot cocoa from Common Grounds and flipped through the latest issue of The Weather Vane student newspaper. The couple from Michigan had returned for Homecoming to connect with old friends and had attended the at Lehman Auditorium the night before. 鈥淚t brought back a lot of good memories of being in that chapel as a student,鈥� she said.

Hall of Honor

MainStage Theater was packed to the gills on Saturday for a ceremony celebrating this year鈥檚 four Hall of Honor inductees: 

• Athletics events coordinator Phil Guengerich 鈥�70 was introduced by 黑料正能量 Athletic Director Carrie S Bert 鈥�97.
• Volleyball middle blocker Justin Reesor 鈥�10 was introduced by former teammate Ben Yoder 鈥�08. 
• Soccer forward Mitchell Leap 鈥�12 was introduced by former coach Roger Mast 鈥�85.
• Basketball center David Falk 鈥�15 was introduced by former coach Kirby Dean.

An alumna attending the ceremony, Debbie Swartley 鈥�08, of Penn Laird, Virginia, ran cross country and track while at 黑料正能量, and said she typically comes to Homecoming every year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so much fun to be back on campus,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e typically walk around to see the changes for people who haven鈥檛 been here in awhile, and the kids love it.鈥�

Gatherings and reunions

The weekend featured several gatherings, including:

• one celebrating the 50th anniversary of 黑料正能量鈥檚 social work program and the tenure of Professor Deanna Durham, 
• a gathering of alumni shaped by their experiences in the Middle East during 50 years of faculty-led interculturals to the region, 
• and a 50th anniversary get-together for alumni of the recently rebranded 黑料正能量 Washington Semester program.

An alumnus of the D.C. program, Avery Trinh 鈥�22, was attending the lattermost gathering with his mother, Rebecca Dietz 鈥�79. Both of them were in the program while it was called different names (Trinh was in WCSC in Fall 2021, while Dietz was in WSSY from 1977-78) and under different program directors (Trinh was led by Ryan Good, while his mom was taught by Ryan鈥檚 father, Nelson Good). In fact, Trinh said, his mom used to babysit Ryan Good. 

It was his first homecoming since graduating from 黑料正能量, Trinh said, and the D.C. reunion offered a way for both him and his mom to get involved. 

鈥淭here鈥檚 always a lot of chatter about how 黑料正能量 is changing,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he reason I really enjoyed my time here is the professors who taught me. They were in it to help students grow. So, as long as people like them stick around, I think 黑料正能量 is in good hands.鈥�

It had been a little more than a decade since Chris Fretz 鈥�05 had been back to Harrisonburg. But for the economic development grad, who now works as a web developer for a marketing agency in Lancaster, the 20th reunion was enough of a draw to bring him back to campus. His wife, Lindsey Frye 鈥�04, was a student and staff member for the D.C. program and so they also attended the 50th anniversary gathering. 

Some of the biggest changes he鈥檚 noticed since he鈥檚 been gone include Common Grounds鈥� move upstairs and the renovation of the old gym into the MainStage Theater, though other changes less visible have been just as significant. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 been encouraging to see the growing diversity of 黑料正能量 and to see that the administration is really looking to meet students where they鈥檙e at,鈥� Fretz said. 

Meet-and-greet with Interim President Dycus

At a meet-and-greet with 黑料正能量鈥檚 interim president inside the Campus Center, the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus answered questions from first-generation student and senior nursing major Emily Suarez Nunez. Dycus spoke about her path to 黑料正能量 and to the leadership position she鈥檚 held since July 1, as well as what excites her most. 

She called on alumni to loudly and proudly share the stories of 黑料正能量鈥檚 successes and talk to others about how 黑料正能量 has impacted their lives, their children鈥檚 lives, and the ways their families have been nurtured by the university.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not proud enough about who 黑料正能量 is, but we have an amazing community here, a meaningful mission, and it shows up across the world,鈥� said Dycus, who is the first Black woman to serve in the role. 鈥淎nd I am most excited about being able to be the person who gets to advocate for that everywhere I go.鈥�

TenTalks

At the annual hosted at Martin Chapel on Saturday afternoon, 黑料正能量鈥檚 three 2025 alumni award winners each had 10 minutes to impact, influence, and inspire the audience. This marked the first time that alumni award winners presented at the event.

The speakers were: 

• Jessica 鈥淛ess鈥� King 鈥�96, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, has led equity-driven public sector organizations for more than 20 years. She spoke on the theme of fear and the role it鈥檚 played in her career and in her life.
• Outstanding Alum of the Year Brittany Caine-Conley MDiv ’14, one of the lead organizers for Congregate Charlottesville, shared her experiences making connections with local justice groups leading up to the white supremacist rally in 2017 and spoke on the importance of solidarity.
• Alum of the Year Fabrice Guerrier MA ’15 (conflict transformation), founder and CEO of the first collaborative worldbuilding production house for science fiction and fantasy storytelling, spoke about the power of imagination. He invited audience members to close their eyes and picture building a city on a new planet in the year 2035.

Royal City Celebration

Outside on the Front Lawn, the Royal City Celebration had everyone grooving to live music from the Richmond-based Premiere Band and savoring bites from food trucks offering barbecue, tacos, and ice cream. The crisp fall temperature and clear skies could not have been more perfect for the occasion.

The event also featured 黑料正能量鈥檚 second annual crowning of a homecoming court, which included:

• Seniors Jamaury Starks and Royale Parker
• Juniors Christopher Varone and Janaria Kenreich
• Sophomores Bennett de Tenley and Shawna Hurst
• First-years Johnathan Badowski and Logan Turchetta