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

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

Community Partners Luncheon

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

Writers Read

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

Golden Alumni Luncheon

Former classmates reminisced about their time on campus at 黑料正能量鈥檚 Golden Alumni Luncheon, held at Martin Chapel for alumni who attended Eastern Mennonite 50 years ago or more.

The Inaugural Evening: An All-Black Affair

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

黑料正能量 Athletics Hall of Honor

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

A Cappella Collective

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

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

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

黑料正能量 TenTalks

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

Royal City Celebration

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

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

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

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!

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. 

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

Johnson shared insights from her research on kidney disease using zebrafish at Notre Dame this past summer as well as her personal journey of falling in love with research. After an 黑料正能量 professor asked her to present research from an 黑料正能量 organic chemistry lab at UVA鈥檚 Chemical Society meeting, Johnson realized that she loved sharing her work with others. 

Johnson adheres to the personal motto 鈥渏ust keep swimming鈥� from the movie Finding Nemo to guide her career choices. Her professors also highly influenced her journey into research through their constant encouragement and by providing opportunities including a trip to Australia to research fruit flies. 鈥淭hey have taught me to dream big and go for things I never would have expected myself to do,鈥� she said.

Between nursing school and finishing her debut novel 鈥淗eartache on the Play Stage,鈥� Mellinger was used to putting herself last. After a series of hardships while trying to become a licensed nurse post-graduation, she shared her realization of needing to prioritize herself.

鈥淭rying to pour from an empty cup isn鈥檛 going to work,鈥� she cautioned, detailing the ways in which she has begun to practice self-care, from sleep hygiene to exercise to choosing more nutritious foods. 鈥淪elf care is not optional. It is essential for a healthy lifestyle,鈥� she said.

Mark Sawin is a name known to many on campus, but his work is not limited to the classroom. Sawin spoke about his recent research and efforts to preserve Mrs. Isa Mae (Banks) Francis鈥� Green Book house where traveling Black folks stayed when hotels turned them away. Listed in the Green Book from 1953-1961, the house sits at 252 N. Mason Street. It is the last remaining Green Book house in Harrisonburg and was kept in its original state by siblings Henry and Lois Rouser, descendants of Mrs. Isa Mae (Banks) Francis.

William Reed, father of 黑料正能量鈥檚 own Mayor Deanna Reed, inherited the property from Lois Rouser in 2022. The Reeds called in experts, including Sawin, with the hope of further honoring the house鈥檚 legacy. Sawin has been researching the property and the family鈥檚 history because he says 鈥渂eing a historian is honoring people by telling their story.鈥�

The perennially popular TenTalks during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2024 will feature three speakers each representing a different stage of the 黑料正能量 journey: current student Adesola Johnson, alumna Ashley Mellinger ’24, and faculty member Dr. Mark Metzler Sawin.

The speakers will each have 10 minutes to “impact, influence and inspire” the audience, and then answer questions from the crowd. The format is modeled on TED Talks presentations.

The free event will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, in Suter Science Center 106. Registration is required for this event. It will be livestreamed on the 黑料正能量 .听

Register for events !

Investigating the Role of Retinoic Acid on Podocyte Development

Johnson, a senior biology major from Dallas, serves 黑料正能量 as a hall director, executive Royal Ambassador, DEI student leader and a tutor in the Academic Success Center.

This summer she had the opportunity to conduct research at the University of Notre Dame, where she investigated the mechanisms regulating kidney development using zebrafish as a model organism. She is deeply passionate about advancing scientific research and said she looks forward to presenting her findings to the 黑料正能量 community at TenTalks.

The Art of Self-Care

Mellinger, of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, had one busy senior year. The Cords of Distinction recipient  published her debut novel, Heartache on the Play Stage, in January and graduated from 黑料正能量 with a BSN in May. In the meantime, she鈥檚 been working on earning her RN license. 

Mellinger said her presentation will focus on “the art of self-care.” 鈥淭his summer provided me a lot of freedom and downtime to recoup from the stress of nursing school and I learned how to truly take care of myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to share some tips with you all!鈥�

Mrs. Ida Mae Francis and her Green Book House

Sawin, professor of history at 黑料正能量 and co-director of the honors program, is part of a team of researchers helping preserve the history of a Harrisonburg, Virginia, house listed in The Green Book.

During the Jim Crow era, The Green Book was a guide created by and for African Americans that listed open and safe places for them to eat, visit and lodge while traveling. Sawin鈥檚 presentation will look at Harrisonburg鈥檚 primary Green Book property, Mrs. Ida Mae Francis鈥� Guest House, telling its history and the story of the thriving, entrepreneurial Black community it serviced for 50 years (1912-1962).

Sawin, an 黑料正能量 faculty member since 2001, has spent two decades working with members of Harrisonburg鈥檚 Black community to help tell the story of Newtown and the Northeast Neighborhood before it was devastated by urban renewal projects in the early 1960s.

For a full list of Homecoming and Family Weekend events, visit: emu.edu/homecoming

“This year’s festivities will feature a ‘lion’s share’ of new and exciting events, including the Royal City Celebration, which invites all class reunions, affinity groups, department and club gatherings to meet at Thomas Plaza and the Front Lawn for food, fellowship and fun!” said Deanna Reed, Harrisonburg mayor and 黑料正能量 director of alumni engagement & community connections. “In addition to the gathering, which promises to be the largest at Homecoming, all are invited to follow the ‘yellow brick road’ to campus for musical theater showings, athletic events, and the return of the ever-popular TenTalks presentations. This year there’s no place like HOMEcoming!”

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

黑料正能量鈥檚 alumni award winners are:
Dr. Lee Roy Berry Jr. 鈥�66; Kendra Conrad Bailey 鈥�03, MA 鈥�05; and Seth Crissman 鈥�09. MDiv 鈥�15.

黑料正能量 Athletics will recognize four Hall of Honor awardees:
longtime employee and coach Roland Landes; standout jumper and sprinter Michael Allen 鈥�13; volleyball, basketball and softball player Gina Campbell Troyer 鈥�93; and basketball star Bianca Ygarza 鈥�14.

Look for the 鈸� Facebook icon that denotes a livestreamed event. Go to the to view these events; recordings will also be available after the event. You do not need a Facebook account to view the livestream.

Athletics events will be streamed through the website.

Here are a few highlights of the weekend. See the full schedule for more details.

Friday

鈥� Jubilee Alumni, those who have graduated 50 years ago or more, will gather for a program and luncheon that includes the induction of the class of 1974. * 鈸�

鈥� Art Gallery Opening, from 4-5 p.m. in the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery, features artworks from 黑料正能量 alumni artists Rebecca Souder Gish 鈥�09, Rhoda Miller 鈥�03, and Jon Styer 鈥�07. 

鈥� Musical Theater Production of 鈥淟ightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical.鈥� 黑料正能量 students and community members play multiple roles in this epic rock musical version of Rick Riordan鈥檚 beloved young-adult novels about an underachieving kid who discovers he is a demigod. Tickets for the show, held in the Studio Theater at 7 p.m., are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $10 for children 18 and younger, and $6 for college students. 

Saturday

鈥� Recognizing Hall of Honor and alumni award winners, the Opening Celebration Breakfast features a welcome by President Susan Schultz Huxman.

鈥� A Hall of Honor Ceremony at the MainStage Theater from 10-11 a.m. will celebrate this year鈥檚 inductees.

鈥� New to this year鈥檚 lineup of events, the Royal City Celebration invites all class reunions, affinity groups, department and club gatherings to follow the yellow brick road for food, fellowship, and fun! Meal tickets to the gathering, held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thomas Plaza and the Front Lawn, are $20 for adults and $9 for children ages 5 to 11. *

鈥� See Royals athletics in action on the brand new Turf Field with Field Hockey vs. Sweet Briar at noon, Women鈥檚 Soccer vs. Guilford at 3 p.m., and Men鈥檚 Soccer vs. Lynchburg at 6 p.m. The Women鈥檚 Volleyball team takes on Lynchburg in Yoder Arena at 2 p.m.

鈥� Prepare to be impacted, influenced and inspired at the annual 黑料正能量 TenTalks. Modeled on TED Talks presentations, this event in Suter Science Center 106 from 2-3 p.m. features alumna and novelist Ashley Mellinger ’24; Adesola Johnson, senior biology major; and Dr. Mark Metzler Sawin, 黑料正能量 professor of history, speaking for 10 minutes each with a Q&A at the end.听* 鈸�

鈥� Turn out for the new track & field complex dedication at 3:30 p.m.

鈥� 鈥淟ightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical.鈥� Another chance to catch this exhilarating spectacle starting at 7 p.m. in the Studio Theater.

Sunday

鈥� Worship with 黑料正能量 Chamber Singers at 9:30 a.m. at Park View Mennonite Church.

鈥� 鈥淟ightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical.鈥� A third and final showing of the epic rock musical, capping Homecoming and Family Weekend 2024, starts at 7 p.m.

*Registration required

The speakers 鈥� soprano Madeline Bender 鈥�93, runner Ryan Gehman 鈥�16 and leader Kevin Ressler 鈥�07 鈥� will each have 10 minutes to 鈥渋mpact, influence and inspire鈥� the audience, and then answer questions from the crowd. The format is modeled on TED Talks presentations.

The free event will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, in Suter Science Center 106. Homecoming registration is not required to attend. Email alumni@emu.edu for instructions on how to access the Facebook livestream of the event.

A complete list of events and activities is on the Homecoming and Family Weekend website.

Divine dissatisfaction

Madeline Bender 鈥�93 will share the story of her journey from rural Mennonite kid to international opera singer, arts entrepreneur and educator.

In 2012, Bender founded , which offers classes to children in the fields of music, theater, dance and filmmaking. Her innovative arts programs are taught in esteemed private and public schools across Manhattan.

She has created performances including Instrumental Storytellers at Symphony Space in Manhattan, the annual Creative Stage Spectacular! and, most recently, produced and directed Summer Shebang!, sponsored by the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. 

Her work has paired her with notable opera directors such as Sir Peter Hall, Robert Wilson, David McVicar, Paul Curran and Sir Jonathan Miller.

She, along with artistic partner Timothy Long, is the founder and director of Voices of Hope, an annual opera gala that has raised more than $250,000 to provide life-changing education to severely underprivileged children around the world.

Bender, who has a master鈥檚 degree from the Manhattan School of Music, lives in New York City with her husband Paul Whelan, a bass-baritone opera singer, and their 14-year-old son.

Her TenTalk will investigate what makes citizen artists tick, as well as the forces that drive them to seek to make radical change in the world through the arts.

Run for your life!

Diagnosed with autism at four years old, Ryan Gehman 鈥�16 struggled with anxiety and other mental health challenges growing up. 

But when Gehman discovered running, he says it literally saved his life.

The Millersville, Pennsylvania, native has run four marathons to date, including two Boston Marathon races. He finished the 2023 Boston Marathon this past April in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 31 seconds, which placed him 103rd overall.

In 2014 while at 黑料正能量, Gehman won the NCAA South Southeast Regional Cross-Country Championships and was named Southeast Regional Athlete of the Year.

Gehman says he runs to help himself navigate life on the spectrum and aims to be a source of hope for other neurodiverse people, as well as anyone in need of strength to face adversity.

He is a former cross-country and track coach at Lancaster Bible College and Lancaster Mennonite High School. These days he shares his passion for fitness as a wellness assistant at Landis Homes, where he fosters the movement of others.

TenTalks attendees are invited to hear his story, from the heartwarming and humorous way his running began to the dream he鈥檚 now chasing: qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Trials.

鈥淏reak all the rules, build a better world鈥�

Kevin M. Ressler 鈥�07, M. Div., was not afraid to break some rules as a child.

As a third grader, Ressler refused to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance because of his discomfort with war. 

During a semester-long simulation of the Revolutionary War, the middle-schooler was named governor of Pennsylvania and then disrupted class when he demanded freeing slaves as part of the Declaration of Independence.

His life, he says, has been spent seeking ways to bring about an equitable peace and justice for all.

In a summary of his TenTalk, Ressler says that people are raised to maintain the status quo of the system even when they might not realize it.

“We are taught that … if you follow the rules and apply yourself that you will get rewarded with comfort and security,” the community activist and leader says.

鈥淏ut, if you actually care about a better world, you have no choice but to break the rules and risk losing everything so that others might gain.鈥� 

Ressler leads , where he鈥檚 been CEO since July. The nonprofit organization serves the greater Coatesville, Pennsylvania, community by focusing on improving its health, social, emotional and economic conditions.

He graduated from 黑料正能量 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Justice, Peace and Conflict Studies and spent a year with Mennonite Voluntary Service and with AmeriCorps VISTA. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 2013.

Ressler was executive director of Meals on Wheels of Lancaster from 2014 to 2020 and president and CEO of the United Way of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from 2020 to this June. He has served on multiple boards including for Meals on Wheels of Lancaster, United Way of Pennsylvania and Everence Federal Credit Union.

He lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with his wife Melissa and their two daughters, Acacia, 9, and Iriana, 6.