鈥淲ith upgraded equipment, 91短视频 will provide richer, practical laboratory, research, and project-based experiences to prepare students for lucrative careers in STEM fields and nursing,鈥� states a grant application submitted by Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success for 91短视频.

The grant request also includes a 鈥渟mall salary allocation to support the procurement, calibration, and installation of equipment鈥� and to train faculty and students on its use.

It further states that the upgraded equipment would provide a significant educational opportunity for current students, attract faculty and students to 91短视频, and enhance contributions to STEM and health care fields through research, publication, consultation with local businesses, and a better-prepared workforce in Virginia.

鈥淭his project would amplify the impact of our current NSF STEM scholarship program, which increases postsecondary education access for academically talented, Pell-eligible students,鈥� the request states.

The 鈥�91短视频 grows STEM鈥� project is among a list of community priorities highlighted in the Fiscal Year 2026 federal spending bill, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., announced in a news release in February.

For a full list of projects in the Shenandoah Valley and Highlands regions of Virginia funded through the FY26 spending bill, .

91短视频 91短视频

91短视频 is a fully accredited university known for its outstanding STEM and health program preparation. Over 90% of job-seeking graduates of 91短视频 find employment quickly, with many in nursing and STEM employed before graduation. 91短视频 is a Forbes Best Return on Investment University and is one of the best colleges in the regional South (U.S. News & World Report). 91短视频 STEM students gain practical and technical skills through project-based experiences and social networks through mentorship from faculty and supportive learning communities. 

Patience Kamau 鈥�02, MA 鈥�17 (conflict transformation), stands outside the post office in Nyahururu, central Kenya, and holds a letter. Its mailing address is written to her in blue ink, while the return address lists an 鈥�91短视频鈥� in Harrisonburg, Virginia, of the United States. The high school senior tears open the envelope and starts reading. The letter inside tells her that 50% of her tuition costs at 91短视频 will be covered through the university鈥檚 International Grant.

Though that moment occurred nearly three decades ago, Kamau remembers it like it was yesterday. 鈥淭hat was among the greatest blessings I ever received,鈥� she said, looking back.

She didn鈥檛 know much about the U.S. at the time, and even less about 91短视频, but her decision to cross an ocean and enroll at the university would forever shape her future. 鈥淚t was very clear it was shifting the trajectory of my life,鈥� she said.

Soon after receiving that first letter, she received another from 91短视频 with an invitation. 鈥淏ring an open heart,鈥� Kamau recalled reading, 鈥渂ecause here you will make friendships and relationships that you will maintain for the rest of your life.鈥�

鈥淎nd that was true,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any of the relationships I formed at 91短视频 remain meaningful in my life.鈥�

She admitted that she didn鈥檛 choose 91短视频; her father chose it for her. He had heard through family friends about 鈥渁 little college in Harrisonburg鈥� with a strong pre-med program. 鈥淗e started looking into it, reading and studying it, and he liked it,鈥� Kamau said.听

She arrived as a pre-med major in the fall of 1998. Her parents were physicians, and they encouraged her to follow in their footsteps. Kamau enjoyed biology classes during her first year at 91短视频, but once she started taking organic chemistry her sophomore year, she realized it was not for her. She quickly switched majors to computer information systems.

She became close with the handful of other international students on campus and got involved with the university鈥檚 multicultural and international programs, where she came under the wing of Delores 鈥淒elo鈥� Blough 鈥�80, former director of international student and scholar services. 鈥淒elo was a huge part of making all of us feel at home,鈥� she said.

After graduating in 2002, Kamau worked in a variety of campus departments, including the alumni and parent relations office, the seminary, and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. She eventually landed a position at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, serving as assistant to the executive director while a student at CJP. As a perk of her job, she said, she could take eight credit hours a year at no charge.

Six years ago, as chair of CJP鈥檚 25th anniversary committee, she began producing a series of Peacebuilder podcast episodes featuring the program鈥檚 faculty and staff to capture CJP鈥檚 oral history. According to an 91短视频 News article from 2022, the podcast had logged more than 11,500 listeners in 119 countries and territories around the globe.

Since 2022, Kamau has served as program director for . The online course and connection platform offers activists, innovators, and others seeking knowledge and tools a space to 鈥渕anifest solutions for people and planet,鈥� according to its website.

Kamau said she categorizes her life as 鈥�100% lucky.鈥� Half of that luck comes from the random happenstances she had nothing to do with. The other 50% is the kind of serendipitous luck when 鈥減reparation meets opportunity,鈥� she said, borrowing a favorite phrase from Oprah.

鈥淵ou try and live a certain way and prepare, and then when the opportunity arises, you hopefully take advantage of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have been more grateful to have ended up at 91短视频 as a young adult who didn鈥檛 fully know who I was or what I wanted from life.鈥�

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov91短视频 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91短视频 students. On April 1, let鈥檚 show that our generosity knows no bounds鈥or the record!

鈥淚鈥檝e always been conscious of how much money I鈥檓 spending,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to have tons of debt I鈥檒l have to pay back later, especially at high interest rates.鈥�

And so for Vasquez, who works a part-time job at The Home Depot, financial aid from the Montgomery GI Bill, the Virginia Tuition Grant (VTAG), and a new National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM Scholarship has been a godsend in covering the full cost of his college education.

鈥淲ithout the NSF S-STEM Scholarship, I would鈥檝e struggled financially,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he scholarship really takes the pressure off my shoulders, because now I won鈥檛 have that debt looming over my head.鈥�

Born and raised in Harrisonburg, Vasquez graduated from high school in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and attended Blue Ridge Community College while enlisting in the military. After completing recruit training, taking time to reassess his academic goals, and changing majors from business to computer science, he transferred to 91短视频 last fall.听

He is among an initial cohort of 91短视频 students receiving the NSF S-STEM Scholarship, which provides:

• Up to $15,000 in unmet financial need annually for the length of the degree
• A paid one-week Bridge to College program
• A STEM mentorship program
• An eight-week paid internship
• Free conference attendance
• Forest restoration opportunities in Park Woods (91短视频鈥檚 on-campus woodland)

The scholarship is open to high-achieving, income-eligible students who are majoring in Biochemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Math, or Psychology (research/STEM track).

Applications for the S-STEM Scholarship
are due by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

For more information, visit .

鈥楢 welcoming community鈥�

Forming friendships at a new school can have its challenges.

Along with other initiatives provided by the scholarship, a Bridge to College program helps new 91短视频 students adjust to life on campus by moving them in a week early, introducing them to STEM faculty and staff members, and engaging them in activities to build camaraderie and form connections with one another. Students participating in the weeklong program receive a generous stipend for their time.

Ani Koontz, a first-year biology and secondary education double major from Newton, Kansas, is a recipient of the S-STEM Scholarship. She recalled traveling to Shenandoah National Park with students and faculty the week before classes, surveying salamanders and hiking trails, before bicycling around Downtown Harrisonburg on a tour led by city officials.

鈥淭hat first week showed me how friendly and approachable my professors are,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e done a great job creating a welcoming community.鈥�

Another S-STEM Scholarship recipient, Mara Carlson, is a first-year psychology major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 鈥淢any of us have become close friends,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檒l see the other scholarship recipients around campus and we鈥檒l say hello to each other.鈥�

Through the scholarship, each student is paired with an academic advisor specific to their major, who can answer questions and help guide them forward. Carlson said she meets with Kathryn Howard-Ligas, assistant professor of psychology at 91短视频. 鈥淲e discussed a four-year plan, and I was really grateful for that,鈥� she said. Part of that plan includes gaining invaluable experience through internships and conferences, additional perks of the S-STEM Scholarship.

Carlson said she already knew she wanted to attend 91短视频, and that receiving the S-STEM Scholarship was 鈥渁 nice surprise.鈥�

For the Kansas-born Koontz, 91短视频 had always been on her radar, but she also considered attending in-state schools that normally would鈥檝e been cheaper. When she learned she had been offered the S-STEM Scholarship and that it would lower her college costs to 鈥渁 very affordable amount,鈥� her choice to attend 91短视频 became an easy one.

鈥淚t’s 100% the reason I came,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I got that, it meant I could completely afford to go here, and it honestly made 91短视频 more affordable than any other college in my area. It鈥檚 my joy to share how grateful I am because this is truly just an amazing thing that 91短视频 has.鈥�

This quandary led Abraham Mekonnen, a rising senior at 91短视频 majoring in computer science, along with a team of three students from Queens College in New York City, to develop FootPrint Mayhem, a sustainability-focused platform that encourages and rewards users for minimizing their carbon footprint in creative ways through streaks, games, and points. Users can track their daily carbon footprint, take quizzes to learn eco-friendly habits, earn points and streaks for consistent actions, and compete with friends on a leaderboard. Although the platform is no longer active, it was available at .

鈥淭hink Duolingo, but for saving the planet,鈥� said Mekonnen, who is spending the summer in New York City as a software engineer intern at Morgan Stanley. 鈥淲e asked ourselves, 鈥楬ow can we help people learn while having fun at the same time?鈥欌��

Mekonnen and his team won the 鈥淏est Use of Defang鈥� prize for their creation, besting more than 500 undergraduate students from around the world at . Defang is a tool used to develop, deploy, and debug hackathon projects. The annual 36-hour coding competition was hosted by Harvard University students from Oct. 11-13, 2024, on their campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and brings students together to “collaborate, innovate, and build awesome projects in a short amount of time.” 鈥淲inning never crossed my mind,鈥� Mekonnen said. 鈥淚 was competing against people with vast knowledge from all these great and wonderful schools, so I thought there was no way I could win.鈥�

But win they did. Over an intense 36-hour period, Mekonnen and his team worked tirelessly to develop an idea for a project, design it, and present it to judges. 鈥淚 think we probably only slept for two to four hours during that time,鈥� he said.

鈥淭his recognition from HackHarvard is incredibly motivating,鈥� Mekonnen wrote in a post after the event. 鈥淚t validates our belief that technology can make sustainability accessible and enjoyable for everyone.鈥�

He said the win has already opened new doors for him, helping him land his current internship at Morgan Stanley. 鈥淭he computer science field right now is hectic,鈥� Mekonnen said. 鈥淓ven finding interviews is hard, so this has been a wonderful resume builder.鈥�

He was also invited to present on a panel at the Horizon Conference, held at James Madison University in November, which brings together changemakers, innovators, and leaders passionate about tackling global challenges and fostering inclusive growth.

Mekonnen, who moved to Harrisonburg from Ethiopia at 12 years old, serves as president of the Computer Science Career Club and is a member of the International Students Organization at 91短视频. He credits professors Dr. Daniel Showalter, Dr. Stefano Colafranceschi, and Charles Cooley with providing the foundational programming knowledge that helped him succeed. 

He said he hopes to inspire others at 91短视频 the same way he was inspired by recent alumna Hebron Mekuria 鈥�24, a computer science major who also won a hackathon鈥�Black Wings Hacks in 2023鈥攁nd interned at Morgan Stanley. 

鈥淧eople at 91短视频 might not think they can win and do great things,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hope my story encourages other students to push themselves beyond what they thought was possible.鈥�

The next HackHarvard competition will be held from Oct. 3-5, 2025. For more information about the event, visit:

The grant, awarded through the NSF鈥檚 , will fund up to $15,000 annually for each scholarship recipient throughout the length of their degree. Overall, the S-STEM Scholarship will fund a quality undergraduate education for 23 91短视频 students among three cohorts over the next six years, beginning with first-year students entering the Fall 2025 semester.

The scholarship is open to academically talented students with financial need who are majoring in the following fields: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Math, and Psychology (research/STEM track).

Applicants for the S-STEM Scholarship must submit their application and reference forms by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit: emu.edu/stem/scholarship

In addition to scholarships, the program offers students a paid one-week Bridge to College experience, where they can meet professors, learn material from their discipline, acquire study skills, and become better prepared for college.

91短视频 Biology Professor Dr. Kristopher Schmidt said that some first-year students can struggle to adjust to life on campus, and that the grant aims to ease that adjustment.

鈥淲e want to create a sense of belonging,鈥� said Schmidt, who is principal investigator for the grant program.

The program also provides funding for embedded tutoring services and paid tutoring opportunities for students, specialized advising, and guidance from professional STEM mentors.

鈥淭his would be a person outside the university in their field of interest who can encourage them, help them, and connect with them along their four-year program,鈥� Schmidt said about the mentors. 

The S-STEM Scholarship program offers innovative opportunities for place-based learning and funding for an eight-week paid internship. Students can use grant-funded resources to conduct research on forest restoration in the Park Woods space, which serves as a key learning lab for STEM students.

This latest grant builds on the success of a similar STEM grant that wrapped up in 2023.

By leveraging grants like these, 91短视频 lives into its mission and vision, outlined in its 2023-28 strategic plan Pathways of Promise of opening new pathways of access and achievement, and can help the NSF achieve its goal of diversifying the STEM workforce.

鈥淲e were thrilled to receive this,鈥� Schmidt said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited and grateful the NSF has chosen to invest in our students at 91短视频.鈥�

Faculty members Kristopher Schmidt, Jim Yoder, Daniel Showalter, Stefano Colafranceschi and Dean Tara Kishbaugh wrote the S-STEM grant proposal.

Mekuria and her teammates were among 150 participants competing for 20 prizes in interest groups of two to four women, each working to code a project pertaining to the overall theme of 鈥渟ocial good.鈥� Participants had access to professional mentors who held workshops and helped with problem statements.

Mekuria鈥檚 team coded a website called 鈥溾�� an online platform that connects patients with licensed medical professionals for virtual consultations free of charge. Mekuria got the idea for the platform after seeing people ask medical questions on forum sites like Reddit. She shared the project idea with her team members, who were all interested in medical technology, and they decided Internet Hospital would provide patients with a more secure and verified way to get quick diagnoses鈥攅specially those with limited access to health insurance or medical expertise.

鈥淎lmost half of people in the U.S. do not have good health insurance coverage. Internet Hospital could help to bridge that gap,鈥� said Mekuria, whose hackathon participation resulted in the opportunity to work with women in her field for the first time. 鈥淚t was such an encouraging experience鈥� a feeling of 鈥榦h, we CAN do it.鈥欌��

Daniel Showalter is Mekuria鈥檚 computer science professor and says she sets herself apart both in鈥攁nd out of the classroom. 鈥淗ebron has been diligent in thinking big-picture beyond her classes. She has been known to spend four to five hours a day working on applying for internships, developing her coding, and networking鈥� all outside her normal classwork.鈥�

Tara Kishbaugh, chemistry professor and dean of the School of School of Sciences, Engineering, Art and Nursing鈥攁long with math professor Owen Byer, engineering professor Esther Tian and biology professor Jim Yoder鈥攎odeled the program off of one in the engineering program at Ohio State University. The four leveraged personal connections and LinkedIn to find mentors.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a mutually beneficial relationship that gives students a safe space to practice their networking skills, learn to ask good questions and listen well, hear professional perspectives, and develop long-term mentoring relationships,鈥� said Kishbaugh. 鈥淚t also gives mentors the opportunity to impart their skills and knowledge for students鈥� personal and professional growth.鈥�

Luke Wheeler is a mechanical engineering major from Hudson, Michigan, whose mentor is Ashley Driver, president and owner of AD Engineering LLC based out of Timberville, Virginia. Wheeler is working part-time for Kawneer in Harrisonburg while finishing up his classes and will begin as an associate process engineer with Merck in Elton, Virginia, after graduation. Wheeler says it has been nice to have a resource to reach out to for advice and that he sees the STEM Mentorship Program as a gateway for internships and jobs for students in the years to come.

Ethan Spicher is a mechanical engineering major from Colorado Springs, Colorado, whose mentor is Gil Colman, civil engineer, owner and principal at Colman Engineering, PLC in Harrisonburg. Spicher says he and Colman have talked at length about his resume, engineering projects, and what it鈥檚 like to own a firm. Upon graduating, Spicher will work for JZ Engineering, a structural engineering company based in Harrisonburg.

Ben Bontrager-Singer is a mechanical engineering major from Goshen, Indiana, whose mentor is Kevin Nufer, an aerospace structural engineer at Leidos in Manassas, Virginia. Bontrager-Singer says Nufer looked at this resume and helped him to prepare for his job interview with Seattle-based Blue Origin, where Bontrager-Singer landed a job as a propulsion engineer starting after graduation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 valuable to provide connections between students and the workforce and also a good opportunity for engineers to see what education looks like these days,鈥� said Bontrager-Singer.

Interested in participating as an 91短视频 student or community-based mentor in the STEM Mentorship Program? Email Tara Kishbaugh at tara.kishbaugh@emu.edu.

Read more about Bontrager-Singer’s internship at Tesla and all three seniors’ work with Engineers in Action.

Ten 91短视频 students are gaining professional experience this fall at the Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center (WCSC). They represent nine different majors, showing the range of placement possibilities available through the program. The diversity includes four computer science majors (with two also double majoring in math), two history and social science majors, one social work major, one liberal arts major, one digital media major, and one peacebuilding and development major.

The center, located in the nation鈥檚 capital since 1976, is a program of 91短视频.

The semester-long experience is also a community-building endeavor, with students living together in the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, DC. This semester鈥檚 placements include several organizations that are long-time hosts of 91短视频 students, highlighting WCSC鈥檚 deep ties within the region. Many alumni can trace their careers back to a pivotal experience at WCSC. 

Read more about WCSC success! Nursing major Ashlyn Eby talks about personal growth and learning from her internship. Grads Tessa Waidelich and Terry Jones find full-time work after their internships.

Read on to learn more about the students, their placements and the organizations they are involved with. 

Zyeasha Ba, a peace and development major from Stafford, Virginia, is with the peace education program . She helps to lead discussions about conflict resolution with elementary school age children and men experiencing homelessness.

Seth Andreas, a math and computer science major from Bluffton, Ohio, is doing a variety of tasks at , from scripting to 3D modeling, in the realm of virtual reality game development.

KC Argueta-Rivas, a social work major from Springfield, Virginia, works with case managers at providing legal services and social services to clients.

Cor鈥橲hauna Cunningham, a liberal arts major and psychology minor from Brooklyn, New York, is with , an addiction treatment center.

Mykenzie Davis, a digital media and communications major from Lititz, Pennsylvania, is with , where she is filming and editing videos for clients and enhancing her portfolio for post-graduation job search.

Natalia Hernandez, a computer science major from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, is with , where she is implementing malware detection software. She was recently offered a position as a service desk engineer at the same organization.

Anya Kauffman, a history and social science major from Goshen, Indiana, is interning at the criminal defense law firm, . 鈥淚 help two legal assistants with tasks including requesting accident reports from the police department, scheduling hearings at the DMV, checking for court dates or case numbers. I think the most significant learning experience will be working in a fast-paced law firm, understanding the ins and outs of a criminal defense firm, and learning the process of a criminal legal case.鈥�

Tace Martin, a history and social science major from Eugene, Oregon, is with . The site was one of the first public schools for African American children in the United States, and currently houses a museum, a research room, art exhibits, and the archives of the District of Columbia Public Schools. He is documenting and rehousing collections related to the school itself, as well as 鈥減ulling collections for upcoming scholarly visits.鈥� Martin is also contributing to the site鈥檚 draft application to be listed on the National Park Service Register of Historic Places.

Joey Sun, a computer science major from Shenyang, China, is with the . His role consists of providing technical support to all Smithsonian employees regarding verification issues, technology assistance, and moderating access to special documents. He is learning to navigate the user interface and software the OCIO uses to support the entire Smithsonian network.

Noah Swartzentruber, a math and computer science major from Lancaster, Pa., is working on projects for the Smithsonian National Zoo’s website and collaborating on a web-based tool for zookeeping staff.

Summer 2022 placements included:

• A physical therapy practice
• Mennonite Central Committee’s National Justice and Peace Ministries office 
• Community of Hope, a community health clinic that provides quality healthcare and housing to families 
• Covenant House, an organization that provides educational programs, job training and placement, medical services, mental health and substance use counseling, legal aid and beyond to homeless youth
• St. Anthony Catholic School, gaining experience working with children and observing different teaching styles
• Washington Digital Media, making business cards and several other templates.
• Bread for the City鈥檚 primary care clinic in a Spanish-language setting
• Anacostia Watershed Society with their adult education classes, tree surveying, invasive species removal, wetland planting, and boat tours on the Anacostia River
• Keegan Theater
• Girls on the Run DC
• Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development, which fosters just and equitable community development solutions that address the needs and aspirations of low- and moderate-income district residents.

Jamie Reich, WCSC鈥檚 associate director of communications and retention, contributed to this article.

Senior Caleb Hostetler already has an extensive list of accomplishments 鈥� in April 2022, he and two other students from 91短视频 won the 2022 international Kryptos Codebreaking Competition 鈥� and this summer, he added mathematics research at Carnegie Mellon University to his resume.

Hostetler participated in the undergraduate research program, working with a group of four students studying a mathematical game. The research has applications in the mathematical fields of graph theory and linear algebra.

Hostetler applied to over 15 mathematics Research Experiences for Undergraduates (here’s the comprehensive , and was accepted to Carnegie Mellon. He then had a say in which of the four areas of mathematics research he would work.

The experience provided insight into the world of academic mathematics, Hostetler said. 鈥淚n addition to exposure to the world of academia, I also built valuable connections with people that would be very helpful if I decided to pursue research further.鈥� 

Participants presented their research, and attended panels with grad students, postdoctoral students, and other professionals in the field.

Mathematics and computer science professor Daniel Showalter recognizes this experience as a prestigious and competitive accomplishment. “Caleb’s selection for the Carnegie Mellon REU allowed him to spend the summer in one of the top five computer science departments in the world and positions him well for graduate school should he choose to attend,鈥� Showalter said.

A personal highlight, Hostetler said, was talking with the other members of his research group about math outside of research. 

鈥淲henever I talk to someone who doesn’t love math as much as I do, the conversation generally moves quickly to some other subject. I don’t blame them, math isn’t the most interesting topic if you don’t really enjoy it,鈥� Hostetler said.

He remembers one conversation about favorite mathematicians and preferred kinds of math while walking back to their apartment after dinner. 鈥淚’ll admit, it is a pretty nerdy conversation to have, but it was genuine,鈥� Hostetler said. 鈥淚t was so cool to be in an environment where everyone was as excited about mathematics as I was, and to not have to feel restrained when talking about the things I love.鈥�

The group also spent time outside of research settings, doing team-building activities such as rafting, visiting the Kennywood amusement park, and going to the Pittsburgh zoo.

In addition to research, over the summer, Hostetler enjoyed working as an engineering intern at Ventrac, a tractor and equipment company. He isn鈥檛 sure what is next for him, but math research and graduate school are high on his list of options.

Talk about legacy.

For the third time in five years, a team from 91短视频 has won the 2022 international Kryptos Codebreaking Competition. The event, hosted by University of Central Washington, attracted the largest field in the history of the contest 鈥� 77 teams from across the U.S. and Great Britain.

Senior Hannah Leaman, junior Caleb Hostetler and first-year Mana Acosta solved the three required puzzles in record time. To win, they tapped into their abilities to recognize patterns; apply Baconian and Swagman ciphers and Morse code (Hostetler happens to have learned it for fun while he was in high school); and do some 鈥渕ad Googling,鈥� the team said.

If you know a little more about their codebreaking resumes, though, this win is not a total surprise.

Leaman, who was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Mathematics Senior Award by 91短视频 faculty, leaves 91短视频 among several talented students who have left their mark in recent years.

Puzzlehunters are ‘my people’

Acosta, a first-year engineering major with a computer emphasis, is new to the mix. She experienced a bit of the excitement during a 2021 Honors Weekend visit, which featured an escape room activity created by the 91短视频 Math Club. 

That club was 鈥渂asically a puzzle club,鈥� Leaman and Hostetler explained, and that鈥檚 partly the reason for the university鈥檚 recent Kryptos success.

鈥淲hen I came to 91短视频, there were a lot of students who were really into puzzlehunting and I fit right in,鈥� Leaman said.

Hostetler, one year behind Leaman, ticked off the names of fellow students who also took delight in doing puzzlehunts in their free time, including the famous MIT Mystery Hunt over MLK Day Weekend. (The club also hosts occasional puzzle events, like escape rooms and Puzzlepaloozas for students on campus.)

鈥淚 saw the puzzlehunting going on and I thought 鈥楢lright, these are my people. I need to figure out how to become friends with them,鈥� he said. 

The adrenaline rush and intellectual challenge of applying both practical and esoteric knowledge creates tight bonds of friendship.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you how many 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. calls I鈥檝e been on since coming here,鈥� Leaman said. 鈥淎 lot of us are still in touch even after graduation doing puzzles. We鈥檝e had teams that included alumni still involved here.鈥�

Many of those students are pictured at left in this 2018 article we creatively titled: 鈥�91短视频 teams place 18th and 48th regionally in international programming contest 鈥� and that鈥檚 really, really good.鈥�

Participation in the Kryptos contest is entirely voluntary, says professor of mathematics Daniel Showalter, but has benefits beyond the experience of competition.

鈥淪tudent engagement in self-driven competitions like this make it easy for professors to craft strong recommendation letters,鈥� he added. One result: Leaman will work in leadership at an elite mathematics camp, while Hostetler earned a competitive spot in a funded summer research program at Carnegie Mellon University. 

Cramming in the win

Fitting in the Kryptos contest can be a challenge for these invariably multi-talented students. This year, Leaman was student-teaching during the spring semester. She wanted to actually get a good night鈥檚 sleep instead of staying up all night. 鈥淚 told everyone I would leave by 10:30, but at the same time I was really committed.鈥�

Acosta was recovering from a recent concussion suffered in an intramurals soccer game. Despite feeling mentally fatigued and drained before arriving to their assigned meeting spot, having a puzzle in front of her to solve gave her some focus and energy.

Hostetler missed the first hour of competition to play in a concert with the 91短视频 Jazz Band. 鈥淏y the time I got there,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hey had solved the first puzzle.鈥�

The second one took a little longer, but it helped that Hostetler knew Morse code. 

Here鈥檚 their explanation they submitted with the answer:

We used frequency analysis of single numbers as well as pairs against the English language frequency of bigrams/letters to eliminate choices for the 9 options of morse dashes/dots and Xs. We assumed the word 鈥淭HE鈥� was in the plaintext, and found a number string 928869 that could replicate an instance of 鈥淭HE鈥� that also gave us English at the beginning of the ciphertext. We continued from there to solve the remainder of the cipher. 

WE HAVE A RARE SHIPMENT OF PAPPY VAN WINKLE TO DISTRIBUTE MEET AT THE WAREHOUSE ON CANAL STREET TUESDAY MIDNIGHT

Immediately after submission, they received a message back from the contest organizers with congratulations for being the first team to solve Puzzle 2.

That occurred at about 9 p.m., a whole 1.5 hours before Leaman鈥檚 self-imposed curfew. Adrenaline, and a sugar rush fueled by some candy, kicked in.

The final puzzle was 鈥渁 combination cipher and crossword,鈥� Leaman recalled. After finding a reference to Swagman and discovering it was a cipher, further encryption/decryption didn鈥檛 get them anywhere. 

鈥淲e knew the cipher but could not figure out how to apply it to the encryption so we were losing our momentum,鈥� Hostetler recalled.

From a standstill, the team moved to another strategy 鈥� 鈥渂rute force solving,鈥� a trial-and-error process while looking for cribs, or suspected plaintext.

鈥淚 saw the word puzzle forming and my heart stopped, literally,鈥� Leaman said. 鈥淭hat could not have been good for my health.鈥�

Despite the physical detriments of the competition 鈥� Acosta said the excitement meant she didn鈥檛 go to sleep for a while that night 鈥� the team was thrilled with their success.

Acosta is hooked for next year and Hostetler, of course, plans to be back to continue 91短视频鈥檚 strong showing.

And Leaman, who has accepted a position teaching next year at Harrisonburg High School, says she鈥檒l be creating some puzzles for students. She leaves 91短视频 as one of the most talented mathematicians in the university鈥檚 history 鈥� and one of its top codebreakers.

More than 100 91短视频 students were recognized for accomplishments and achievements during the 2021-22 academic year during a special recognition ceremony Tuesday.

Academics

Academic Success Center

Seniors who worked as tutors were recognized: Rodrigo Barahona, Jonas Beachy, Ben Bontrager-Singer, Garrett Cash, Tarynn Clark, Erin Clayton, Elizabeth Eby, Ike Esh, Ben Greenleaf, Mary Harnish, Tasia Hoover, Caleb Hostetler, Brenda Kasongo, Nicole Miller, Sara Beth Mumbauer, Jake Myers, Andrea Troyer, Laura Troyer, Jason Wong, Eli Wright, Teo Yoder, Janessa Zimmerman, and Verda Zook.

Bible and Religion

The annual Haverim* writing awards are given to students whose essays demonstrate robust scholarship related in one way or another to biblical studies, religion, philosophy, and/or Anabaptist/Mennonite thought and practice. Cash awards of $300, $200, and $100 for first, second and third place, respectively, come with the prize. 

• First place: Elizabeth Eby for 鈥�”Beyond Cancel Culture: Uniting around Difference in the Book of Acts,鈥� highlighting how the 鈥渃ancel culture鈥� phenomenon can too often cause precisely the exclusion that it seeks to address and articulating how the Apostolic Decree encouraged radical inclusion while still challenging and de-centering the voices that perpetuate injustice.

• Second place: Isaac Alderfer for his exploration of the industrialization of food production and his argument that a turn toward agroecology could offer a form of food production that pays attention to both social and environmental justice.
• Third place: Jake Myers for his history of monasticism in Ireland and effects on surrounding communities.

*Haverim, the Hebrew word for friends, is a group of Bible, religion, and theology and seminary alumni which supports 91短视频 and EMS.

Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sustainability

• Nicole Miller: Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student
• Faith Manickam: Outstanding Senior Biology Student
• Isaac Alderfer and Jacob Myers: Outstanding Environmental Sustainability Student
• Evan Kauffman and Meredith Lehman: Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student Award
• Megan Miller and Isaac Spicher: Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student Awards
• Jessie Landis: Award for Excellence in Research, 
• Andrew Troyer: Award for Exceptional Service.

Business and Leadership

• Rodrigo Barahona: Outstanding Economics Senior
• Alcinda Brubaker: Exceptional Service Award
• Max Driver: Outstanding Business Administration Senior听
• Max Driver: Outstanding Research Award
• Jaylon Lee: Outstanding Recreation and Sports Management Senior
• Isaac Longacher: Outstanding Marketing Senior
• Verda Zook: Outstanding Accounting Senior.

Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

Graduate student Conner Suddick was selected for recognition for 鈥渆xceptionally artful and inclusive leadership,鈥� according to his advisor Katie Mansfield, lead trainer with the Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience. 鈥淐onner, thank you for imagining an inclusive experience for every body at 91短视频 and working creatively to address historical and present wounds and weave a more loving future that includes queer bodies, engaging research, writing, participatory arts-based research and circle processes.鈥�

Education

Five education students were named as 2022 Teachers of Promise, among 100 of the best and brightest pre-service teachers in Virginia:听

• Mary Harnish, from Lancaster, Pa.; Elementary Education, PreK-6 & Special Education
• Hannah Leaman, from Bakersfield, Ca.; Mathematics, Secondary Education, 6-12
• Rachel Lute, from New Market, Va.; Early Elementary Education, PreK-3
• Bethany Shultz, from Harrisonburg, Va.; Elementary Education, PreK-6 
• Anna Smith, from Edinburg, Va.;  Elementary Education, PreK-6.

Gage Riddick was selected by department faculty for the annual Courage to Teach Award, modeled after principles in Parker Palmer鈥檚 book of the same name. Department faculty selected Gage for his  dedication and success in teaching, her genuine caring for students, reflective practice, highly principled behaviors, and her courage to navigate challenging experiences. He was presented with a copy of Palmer鈥檚 book.

91短视频 faculty selected Skylar Hedgepeth for the Virginia Woman鈥檚 Scholar Award from the Virginia State Organization of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. The award is for an outstanding graduate with the promise of being a key woman educator.

Language and Literature

The following students earned awards and scholarships, many of which are in memory of valued professors who provided powerful examples of mentorship, scholarship and teaching.

• Sarah Bascom is the winner of the Carroll Yoder Award for Teaching Excellence, which honors an 91短视频 senior or junior who has demonstrated academic excellence in both literary studies and education courses and has shown a clear call to the teaching profession.听
• Claire Whetzel earned the Ray Elvin Horst Award for excellence in Spanish.听
• Jessamine Domingo earned the Ervie L. Glick Award for excellence in world language study.
• Claire Whetzel is awarded the Omar Eby Writing Award. This award is presented to a senior majoring or minoring in writing studies who demonstrates excellence in the craft of creative writing and who provides insightful critique and support for other writers in creative workshops.
• Neo Carter was awarded the Omar and Anna Kathryn Eby Scholarship.
• Sarah Bascom and Tiffany Carey were awarded the Hubert R. and Mildred Pellman Scholarship.
• Karla Hostetter was awarded the Leroy Pellman/Elizabeth Lauver Scholarship.
• Jessica Chisolm and Joseph Whetzel were awarded the Esther Eby Glass Scholarship.
• Hannah Landis, Maria Menjivar, and Lucy Unzicker were awarded the Ernest G. Gehman Scholarship.听

Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science

• Jonas Beachy and Laura Troyer: Outstanding Seniors in Engineering Award, awarded by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate/s demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at 91短视频.
• Ike Esh and Hannah Leaman: Outstanding Seniors in Mathematics Award, awarded by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at 91短视频.
• Isaac Andreas and Trajon Brown: Outstanding Seniors in Computer Science Award, awarded by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at 91短视频.
• Ike Esh won 91短视频鈥檚 annual math competition.
• Winners of the Kryptos international codebreaking competition, out of 77 teams, were Hannah Leaman, Caleb Hostetler and Mana Acosta. Look for news coverage soon!

Music

Two students were honored with the Outstanding Student in Music Award for leadership, service, music performance and music scholarship.

• Eve Yavny has served as concertmaster of the 91短视频 Chamber Orchestra, is a two-time winner of the 91短视频 concerto competition, and gave an excellent senior recital performance. She has distinguished herself as a teacher and assistant in the Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Program as well as performed in countless university and department events. 听
• Isaac Longacre distinguished himself throughout his career at 91短视频 with exceptional performances in four 91短视频 musical theater productions, playing iconic roles from a villain to a hero in “Shrek,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “U2 Romeo and Juliet,” and “Noye’s Fludde.”

Political Science

Paige Hurley was named the History and Political Science Outstanding Student. She was recognized for exemplary service, as the student assistant for the program, and scholarship, with听 research published in New Errands, the online publication of the Eastern American Studies Association.

Psychology

• Avery Trinh and Katie Zuercher were both awarded the Galen R. Lehman Outstanding Achievement in Research Award. Both had exceptional designs, data collection and interpretation of results. Katie鈥檚 research was on the survival processing paradigm for first person shooter video games and Avery worked with 91短视频 Institutional Research on a survey about belonging.
• Joshua Wenger and Lindsay Green received the Judy H. Mullet Award for Internship Excellence, for their outstanding and consistent performance in psychology internship with exceptional independent work in establishing a unique field placement experience with Sentara Behavioral Health and Outpatient Center and the Community Care and Learning Center, respectively.

Campus Life

Campus Activities Council

Natallie Brown, Isaac Andreas, Thomas Erickson, Aliyyah Haggard, Ashley Schoenhardt and Jeremiah Yoder for the CAC All-Star Award. Criteria includes volunteering over 200 hours or working more than 350 hours.

Office of Faith and Spiritual Life

The following students were recognized for leadership as student chaplains, nurturing faith and spiritual life in various ways: Micah Buckwalter, sustainability; Alyssa Breidigan, worship; Natallie Brown, discipleship; Elizabeth Eby, engagement; Kate Landis, worship; Emma Nord, community; Reah Clymer, community; and Halie Mast, service.

Center for Interfaith Engagement

Philip Krabill and Leah Walker were recognized for offering opportunities in fall and spring, respectively, helping to create spaces on campus for engagement around issues of religious diversity and justice. They co-planned events such as SoulStories and interfaith leadership convocation breakout groups, student dinners, and celebrations of sacred holidays on campus, according to Trina Trotter Nussbaum, associate director of the Center for Interfaith Engagement, who offered the appreciation.

Multicultural Student Services

Director of Multicultural Student Services Celeste Thomas recognized the leaders the Latinx Student Alliance, many of them first-year students who stepped in to revive and continue the club after several seniors involved in leadership graduated: co-presidents Ashley Iscoa, Mayra Cruz and Cristal Narciso; co-secretaries Diego Tijerina Saucedo and KC Argueta-Rivas; marketing director David Flores Cano; historians Emily Diaz and Ariel Morales Bonilla; and treasurers Margarita Hernandez-Perez and Tony Cortes.

Residence Life

Sarah Grossen was recognized with the Outstanding CA Award, for her three-year commitment to serving as a community advisor in 91短视频 residence halls. 鈥淪he continuously creates safe, fun, and inviting spaces for all of her residents,鈥� said Tyler Goss, assistant director of student programs.

Student Government Association

Co-presidents of the Student Government Association Philip Krabill, Faith Manickam, and Aman Seyoum, were recognized for outstanding leadership by Dean of Students Shannon Dycus.

The co-presidents passed the gavel to the incoming leadership team of Meredith Lehman, Ella Brubaker, and Hannah Beck.

Athletics (includes winter and spring seasons)

Athletic Department Awards

Freshman of the Year 鈥� Brii Redfearn: Women鈥檚 Basketball and Damon Morgan: Men鈥檚 Track & Field

Athlete of the Years 鈥� Paris Hutchinson: Women鈥檚 Volleyball and Alijah Johnson: Men鈥檚 Track & Field

President鈥檚 Award 鈥� Allison Shelly: Women鈥檚 Triathlon, XC and Track & Field and Isaac Alderfer: Men鈥檚 XC and Track & Field

Field Hockey

Skylar Hedgepeth, Maggie Groetsch, Kate Landis and Libbie Derstine were named Scholars of Distinction as well as to the National Academic Squad. Joining them on the National Academic Squad were Rachel Breslin, Keely Mitchell, Cassidy Armstrong and Morgan Leslie.听

Women鈥檚 Volleyball

Paris Hutchinson: VaSID All-State Second Team

Men鈥檚 Basketball听

Tim Jones: Royals Athlete of the Week; D3 National Team of the Week; ODAC MBB Player of the Week; 1,000 Career Points; All-VaSID Second Team; All-ODAC Second Team.

Mizz Nyagwegwe and Mark Burkholder were each named to a Royals Athlete of the Week honor.

Women鈥檚 Basketball听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听

Claiborne Poston: Royals Athlete of the Week

Men鈥檚 Indoor Track and Field

Distance Medley Relay 鈥� Set 91短视频 indoor T&F record 鈥� 10:22.26 

Alijah Johnson: Set 91短视频 indoor T&F record in the 60m 鈥� 6.96; Set 91短视频 indoor T&F record in the 200m 鈥� 21.96; All-ODAC Second Team in the 200m; All ODAC Third Team in the 60m;听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 All-VaSID First Team 鈥� Sprints; Qualified for NCAA Indoor National Championships.

Justice Allen: Royals Athlete of the Week

Eli Roeschley: Royals Athlete of the Week; All-ODAC Second Team in Triple Jump

Isaac Alderfer: Royals Athlete of the Week;听All-ODAC Second Team in the Mile; All-ODAC Second Team in the 800m; All-VaSID Second Team 鈥� Mid Distance;听Qualified for NCAA Indoor National Championships; DMR-All-VaSID Second Team

Women鈥檚 Indoor Track and Field

Jenna Weaver:听 Royals Athlete of the Week听

Men鈥檚 Volleyball

Nate McGhee: Royals Athlete of the Week

Baseball

Jon Sawyers: D3 Team of the Week听

Brett Lindsay: ODAC Player of the Week听

Ray Tricarico, Ethan Spraker, and Natty Solomon were each named to a Royals Athlete of the Week honor.听

Women鈥檚 Lacrosse

KC Argueta-Rivas and Skylar Hedgepeth were each named to a Royals Athlete of the Week Honor.

Softball

Grace Fravel, Bri Allen, Emily Campbell and Sierra Lantz were each named to a Royals Athlete of the Week Honor.听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听

Men鈥檚 Outdoor Track & Field

Alijah Johnson: Men鈥檚 ODAC Track Athlete of the Week and Royals Athlete of the Week.

Women鈥檚 Outdoor Track & Field

Kendra Oguamena: Royals Athlete of the Week

Tessa Waidelich, a recent graduate of 91短视频, says she wasn鈥檛 sure exactly what she wanted to do after college.

But after spending just 10 weeks in 91短视频鈥檚 working in the information technology field as an intern, she not only had the confidence to know what she wanted to do, but a full-time job as well.

Waidelich says vocational development was a big part of her successful experience. WCSC staff assessed 鈥渕y needs and wants鈥� and 鈥渇ound an internship that gave me a wide variety of work.鈥�

Along with her internship and coursework, Waidelich worked on her resume, prepared for interviews, and started job-hunting. But it was her connections through her internship that made the difference.

鈥淭he most helpful preparation I received during WCSC was the concept of networking,鈥� she said. 鈥淣etworking and forming relationships in a job setting is the reason I was hired.鈥�

So that she could gain more diverse experience, 听, Waidelich鈥檚 internship organization, decided to place her with a client. Briya Public Charter School is a two-generation education site, offering English classes for adults and early childhood education for their children. It鈥檚 a holistic and inclusive model that strengthens families as they learn together.听

Waidelich鈥檚 work included resetting, cleaning and setting up computers, as well as arranging desks and fixing broken computers. She built relationships with both her team at Community IT and the staff at Briya, which eventually led to a job offer to become Briya鈥檚 IT support specialist.

She enjoys a variety of work, from helping students and staff with their tech needs to inventorying computers and managing paperwork.

Waidelich鈥檚 experience is not unusual at WCSC, a program well-known for providing students with a kickstart to their careers.

鈥淲e take very seriously the goal of supporting our students in discerning their next steps and building the skills and connections needed to take those steps,” said program director Ryan Good. “It鈥檚 extremely validating for us as WCSC staff to see somebody like Tessa come in with uncertainty about their direction, put in the effort and work to figure it out, and then come out the other end with a job.鈥�

WCSC has been located in Washington D.C. for over 45 years.  Each year staff place 30-40 students from 91短视频 and partner institutions in competitive internships spanning many fields and majors.

Read more about WCSC

—Spring 2022 placements

—Another 2021 grad finds employment in DC after his WCSC internship.