alumni Archives - 91��Ƶ News

91��Ƶ at Lancaster celebrates resilience of its graduates at Commencement

Ryan Cornell with photos by Beatrice Zorrilla — Mon, 18 May 2026 14:16:04 +0000

As Angelita Perez told her fellow graduates, each of them has a moment when they chose to keep going, even when it felt impossible.

For her, that moment came during the traumatic birth of her youngest child two years ago. Perez, a graduate of 91��Ƶ at Lancaster’s Leadership and Organizational Management (LOM) program, shared that she failed out of her studies during that experience. But rather than quit, she pushed forward and kept fighting. She came back stronger, enrolling in the next cohort and earning Dean’s List honors throughout her time in the program. The road didn’t become easier, she said, but her resilience grew stronger.

That same resilience, she told the Class of 2026 graduates, lies in every single one of them. Many of them, who are nontraditional adult learners, balanced their coursework with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. “We showed up tired, we showed up overwhelmed and stretched thin, and sometimes we showed up broken,” she said. “Regardless, we still showed up.”

When her mother was hospitalized and passed away in January, Perez said her classmates, who had become a support system, showed up for her. “In one of my hardest seasons,” she said, “it was this community that reminded me I wasn’t alone.”

Graduates recess following the Commencement ceremony.

Angelita Perez (left) was one of three graduates who shared their perspectives at Commencement. Dr. Jamie Mak (right), assistant vice president of academic and program growth for 91��Ƶ at Lancaster, opens the ceremony.

Perez was one of 21 graduates of 91��Ƶ at Lancaster’s degree and graduate certificate programs who walked across the stage and were joyfully sent off into the world during the annual Commencement ceremony at Forest Hills Mennonite Church on Friday, May 8. This year, 91��Ƶ at Lancaster awarded 21 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 13 graduate certificates.

Dr. Jamie Mak, assistant vice president of academic and program growth for 91��Ƶ at Lancaster, welcomed the family members, friends, and guests gathered in celebration and commended the courage and commitment shown by the graduates.

“As you leave today, you carry more than just credentials,” she said. “You carry the values that define this community: peacebuilding, social justice, service, and compassion. You are entering a world that needs those values more than ever.”

91��Ƶ at Lancaster awarded 21 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 13 graduate certificates.

Graduates Will Stover (left) and Alejandro Ulloa (right) share their perspectives.

In addition to Perez, graduates Will Stover and Alejandro Ulloa shared their reflections.

Stover, a graduate of the aviation program, highlighted his cohort’s accomplishments—accumulating over 7,000 hours of flight time in their four years together—and shared some of the lessons they learned in the program. He encouraged graduates to “take the first step” when presented with challenges and opportunities, continue supporting one another and “keep ’em flying,” and find the positive in times of adversity. Echoing the mantra of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight squadron, he called on graduates to embrace being “glad to be here.”

“There are days that are difficult, when we feel defeated, lost, and unsure of what’s next,” he said. “There are also days that feel easy, motivating, and full of hope. The phrase ‘Glad to be here’ is a reminder that, regardless of the day, resiliency ultimately wins.”

When Ulloa was growing up, he often heard his mother say, “cada cabeza un mundo entero.” That phrase, he said, translates to “each head is a whole world.”

“My mom’s words are a consistent reminder that God created each of us with uniqueness and complexity and finds each of us worthy of love,” said Ulloa, who graduated with an MA in education with a concentration in Trauma and Resilience in Educational Environments (TREE).

After teaching at Lancaster Mennonite High School for 11 years, he said God called him to a different setting about four years ago. That’s when he applied to the program at 91��Ƶ at Lancaster to “stay in touch with these faith-infused tenets of education and daily practice.”

“I’m so thankful for this program and its professors, who encouraged us to view our students in their entirety, to approach them with care and empathy first and foremost, and to remember that there’s an entire world in their heads,” he said. Ulloa added that he leaves the program “more committed than ever” to meet his students where they are, get to know them, and support them however he can.

91��Ƶ at Lancaster’s Class of 2026 graduates celebrate after walking across the stage.

Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo (left) delivers the Commencement address. Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus (right) offers welcome remarks during the ceremony.

Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo delivered the Commencement address. A first-generation college graduate and avid runner who became the first Latino mayor in the city’s history, he spoke about the process of training for a marathon and connected it to broader lessons in life.

Preparation, he told the graduates, is both a choice and an ongoing process. “Sometimes that means taking a step back and readjusting your training plan,” he said. “Sometimes it’s just a check-in with yourself that brings you back to the basics. It’s about questioning your choices and making sure you’re on the right path.”

“Think deeply about your choices, find a way to quiet the noise, listen to what truly matters, and make sure the commitments you make are for the greater good,” Arroyo added.

In her remarks to the graduates, Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus expressed appreciation for the ways they have shown up for one another and for the 91��Ƶ community. “You’ve wrestled with hard questions, you’ve listened across differences, and you’ve continued to pursue rigorous learning in a way that reflects both care and conviction,” she said.

Kirk Shisler ’81, vice president for advancement, welcomed the graduates as new members of the 91��Ƶ Alumni Association. “You join some 21,000 fellow alumni who distinguish themselves as people who serve and lead with distinction locally, regionally, nationally, and around the world,” he said.

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, presented and commissioned the graduates. Dr. Dycus conferred the degrees and offered the closing blessing. Jess King ’96, an 91��Ƶ parent and member of the 91��Ƶ Board of Trustees, led the opening invocation. Derek Kline, director of the aviation program, and Dr. Mak recognized the graduates.

In addition to King, board members Janet Lind, Gloria Diener ’76, and Jane Hoober Peifer ’74, MDiv ’97, attended the ceremony.

Memoir by Daniel Shenk ’71 follows his journey from missionary childhood to service as a prison chaplain and AIDS activist

Ryan Cornell — Fri, 15 May 2026 19:16:43 +0000

Co-authored by Joyce Shenk Maxwell ’85, “‘Search for a Blessing’ is a reflective, inspirational story of a gay son of evangelicals finding a place for himself in the world” ()

Joyce Shenk Maxwell ’85 had heard from family members that her uncle, Daniel Shenk ’71, was a gifted storyteller. When the world went into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, she began collecting stories from his life over phone calls, recording and transcribing their conversations, and sending them back to him to review. Somewhere along the way, those stories became the beginnings of a memoir, co-authored by the two of them and published by Pandora Press in April.

The memoir, Search for a Blessing: A Gay Man’s Journey from a Mennonite Missionary Childhood to the Streets of AIDS Activism, recounts his earliest memories growing up as the son of Mennonite missionaries in East Africa and going to boarding school at age six, and reflects on his life’s work responding to the AIDS crisis in New York City during the 1980s and ’90s.

“As gay men are growing sick and dying from an illness that no one yet understands, Shenk becomes a chaplain for the disenfranchised and a founding member of Bailey House, a residence for people with AIDS,” a description reads. “This memoir is also a story of family, as Shenk grapples with a demanding father and struggles to relate to his uncomprehending siblings.”

A book launch at , 76 W. Gay St., in Harrisonburg this Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m. will feature a reading, Q&A, and book signing with Shenk and Maxwell. People can purchase a copy of the book at the event or email Maxwell for one at joyce.maxwell1@verizon.net.

Finding his calling

Shenk’s formative experiences at 91��Ƶ and his relationships with faculty who supported and mentored him sparked a passion for advocacy work.

After a year at Pace University in New York City, the Lancaster Mennonite High School grad transferred to 91��Ƶ, where he studied sociology and became involved in student government and the Peace Club. “We were the activists on campus at the time, in the early ’70s,” he said. “We were going off to Washington D.C. for anti-Vietnam War protests, and I was deeply involved in that.”

The summer between his junior and senior years at 91��Ƶ, Shenk served as an assistant chaplain at a prison in Southampton County, Virginia. There, he gained insight through interviews with inmates and discovered a growing empathy for them and other marginalized communities. He said the late professor Grant Stoltzfus, who taught church history at 91��Ƶ for 17 years, was a major influence on his life. “He was extremely supportive of my interest in corrections,” Shenk said. “He drove the whole way down to see me, a three- to four-hour drive.”

After graduating from 91��Ƶ, Shenk continued his work as a prison chaplain and then returned to New York City, where he worked with clergy serving in city-run hospitals through the Council of Churches. “They were coming into contact with this new, mysterious disease,” he said. “That’s sort of what put me in touch with AIDS at the very beginning, relating to these chaplains who were encountering it.”

Shenk was a founding member of Bailey House, which provides housing and supportive care for people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. He also helped form the AIDS Resource Center, which advocated for supportive and pastoral care for people with HIV/AIDS.

He graduated from Union Theological Seminary and was ordained at Judson Memorial Church, which is affiliated with the American Baptist Church and the United Church of Christ.

Maxwell, a writer and editor of biographies, also credited her 91��Ƶ education with giving her the skills and values she needed. She majored in home economics education, and said the arts and design emphasis of the program helped her develop a career in publications and layout. “91��Ƶ was formative in my writing,” she said. “Those aspects of maturation where you learn to be coherent and cohesive in how you communicate certainly happened at 91��Ƶ.”

Their 91��Ƶ family connections run deep. Shenk’s brother and Maxwell’s father, the late Joseph Shenk, was an Eastern Mennonite Seminary alumnus who served as campus pastor and international student advisor at 91��Ƶ, and later as co-pastor of Weavers Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg. Another of Maxwell’s uncles, the late Omar Eby, was professor emeritus of English who taught at 91��Ƶ for nearly 30 years.

Shenk retired and moved back to Virginia in 2023. He now lives at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, near his niece and other family members.

‘A very real story’

Shenk said his goal for the book is not only to tell the story of what it was like to be a gay man in New York City during the early years of the AIDS epidemic, but also to share a message of God’s love and to humanize LGBTQ+ people. “I hope it helps people become more open to their lives,” he said.

In his praise for the book, historian and author John L. Ruth writes that, while “avoiding the tone of any official echo chamber, Dan Shenk offers a non-defensively candid explanation of the unlikely arc of his spiritual pilgrimage.”

“And I think he caught a little bit of the tone of the book,” Maxwell said. “It’s not a triumphal book in any sense. It’s not a raised-fist kind of book. It’s really somebody who’s grappling with being authentic and being true to themselves.”

“I think there’s a place for stories that are based in hurt and alienation,” she added. “It’s a very real story that a lot of people can relate to, because all of us have been hurt in one way or another and are trying to understand how to find healing and wholeness in the midst of that.”

For more information about the book, visit .

Read other reviews of the book:

Nursing alumna honored with DAISY Award from UVA Health

Ryan Cornell — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:00:18 +0000

Brittany Scott ’19, an 91��Ƶ nursing alumna at UVA Health Cancer Care Augusta, has been honored with a DAISY Award. The award recognizes the “extraordinary nursing care” she provided to a patient at the infusion center and her “true advocacy, critical thinking, compassion, and a commitment to seeing the whole person, not just the symptoms,” a nomination says.

“Brittany Scott’s actions changed the trajectory of this patient’s life and exemplify the very heart of the DAISY Award,” it adds.

Steve Kniss ’11’s film ‘Never Not Yours’ now streaming free on Tubi

Ryan Cornell — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:32:42 +0000

Following a successful festival run, Steve Kniss ’11’s debut feature film (2024) is now streaming for free on Tubi after launching on the ad-supported platform earlier this month.

Written, produced, and co-directed by Kniss and John Klein, the award-winning indie dramedy follows three siblings in their 30s—Michael (Josh Bywater), Ellie (Angela Morris), and James (Timmy H. Barron)—as they gather at their family’s cabin for a weekend visit. When their parents (Laura T. Fisher and John Lister) unexpectedly announce their divorce, the trip quickly unravels.

The 81-minute film blends humor with heartfelt moments as the siblings grapple with the news and confront long-buried tensions. Never Not Yours premiered in June 2024 at the Interrobang Film Festival in Des Moines, Iowa. It boasts an 8/10 rating on IMDb.

Steve Kniss ’11, co-director of Never Not Yours, follows along with the script as actors Laura T. Fisher and Timmy H. Barron set up a scene.

‘A warm hug of a movie’

Over the past year and a half, Kniss and Klein have taken the film on the road, screening it at festivals across the country, meeting audiences, and building connections.

Never Not Yours has earned multiple accolades, including Best Feature Screenplay at the Grand Rapids Film Festival, the Independent Spirit Award at the Naples (Florida) International Film Festival, Best Feature Film at the Iowa Independent Film Festival, and several honors at the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival near Chicago, where it was crowned Best Film of the Festival.

Kniss said the reception at festivals and screenings has been overwhelmingly positive. “A lot of what we hear is, ‘I finished watching your film and had to call my mom,’ or ‘I had to call a sibling,’” he said. “It’s a very personal film, not just for the two of us, but for everyone who worked on it.”

Kniss described the film as “a warm hug of a movie” that explores how difficult moments can ultimately bring people closer together.

“At the end of the day, what we remember isn’t our jobs,” he said. “It’s the relationships we had, the friends, the family, and the time we spent together. Those are what make lasting memories. That’s what we hope audiences take from this film.”

The cast and crew of Never Not Yours pose in front of the cabin where the film is set.

John Klein and Steve Kniss ’11 wrote, produced, and directed Never Not Yours.

Film was shot in eight days

Kniss and Klein, who connected while in graduate school at DePaul University in Chicago, had previously written a script for a feature-length drama set during World War I. It was based on the life of Kniss’ great-grandfather, Lloy Kniss, who documented his experiences as a Mennonite conscientious objector in the book (Herald Press, 1971).

“Because it’s a period piece, it’s much more expensive than something the two of us are able to finance ourselves,” Kniss said. “We wanted to write something small that we could put together and own entirely ourselves.”

After some brainstorming, the idea for Never Not Yours began to take shape.

“It’s not the easiest film to pitch to an audience in terms of, ‘Come watch this dramedy about this couple getting divorced and everything that comes out of that,’” Kniss said. “What we like to talk about with this film is just how small it is.”

Filmed entirely in and around Nashville, Indiana, a town about an hour south of Indianapolis, the movie was shot in just eight days at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That’s a crazy short time to shoot a 110-page script,” Kniss said. “Most low-budget films are shot in 15 to 20 days. I don’t think it was until the third or fourth day, when we had shot roughly half the movie, that we started to feel confident our plan would work.”

During filming, the five-member cast and seven-member crew lived together in the same cabin where the story takes place. “Typically when you’re making a movie, you go to set, you wrap, you go home, you sleep, and return the next day,” Kniss said. “The 12 of us got really close because we were all living on set. It almost felt like summer camp.”

‘91��Ƶ was the perfect place’

Kniss, who is originally from Chicago, majored in vocal performance and digital media at 91��Ƶ. His parents, Fred ’79 and Rosalyn ’77, and older brother, Michael ’06, are alumni, and he said he had always wanted to attend 91��Ƶ.

“I chose 91��Ƶ because I wanted to be in a community and I wanted to become a better person, and I think 91��Ƶ was the perfect place for that,” he said. During his sophomore year, he was in India for his intercultural when his father was appointed provost.

In a November 2009 , Kniss wrote about how The Lord of the Rings trilogy and its director, Peter Jackson, inspired him to pursue filmmaking. He wrote that he’s seen each movie at least 15 times, “both extended and theatrical versions, with actor and director commentaries,” and was “absolutely enthralled” by them.

“That was my early film school, watching those behind-the-scenes documentaries to learn how these things even existed,” Kniss said in a recent interview. “I still consider those films to be huge inspirations for me because it was the most incredible thing to see an entirely new world created on film.”

After graduating from 91��Ƶ, Kniss worked at Rosetta Stone and TV3 Winchester. His desire to make films never left him, and in 2014 he enrolled in the master of fine arts program at DePaul University. He graduated with his MFA in 2019.

Kniss and his wife, Monica Stouffer Kniss ’09, live near Asheville, North Carolina, with their two children. He is in his third year as assistant professor at Western Carolina University, where he directs the film and television production program. Teaching gives him the summers off to create films, and he and Klein are beginning to plan what they’ll shoot this summer.

Lately, the directing duo has been screening their short film, (2025), around the country. As for future projects, Kniss said they’re still deciding which features to develop. They still have that script for the World War I drama about his great-grandfather tucked away, waiting for whenever they’re ready.

“Obviously, I’m really close to that one,” Kniss said. “At some point, I’d love to make that film.”

“Never Not Yours” is also available to rent and purchase on . For updates about the film, including future screenings, visit its Facebook page at .

Watch the trailer below!

Kaleb Wyse ’10 shares gardening tips on ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’

Ryan Cornell — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:15:04 +0000

Kaleb Wyse ’10, an accounting and business administration grad who hosts the “Wyse Guide” and , shared some trendy spring gardening ideas on an April 10 segment of Live with Kelly and Mark.

Wyse is a fourth-generation Iowa farmer and New York Times bestselling author of the cookbook There’s Always Room at the Table (HarperCollins, 2025). He offered talk show hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos tips to make the most of their outdoor spaces and boost their curb appeal, including ways to attract pollinators, trim herbs, and prune plants.

Watch the 91��Ƶ alum’s TV appearance below!

Cardiologist Ben Ruth ’09 receives prized Golden Stethoscope Award

Ryan Cornell — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:13:53 +0000

Award is considered “one of the highest honors a Sentara RMH physician can receive”

Dr. Ben Ruth ’09, a noninvasive cardiologist with Sentara Cardiology Specialists in Harrisonburg, received the 2026 Golden Stethoscope Award.

Ruth was selected from 43 nominees and more than 400 physicians on the Sentara RMH Medical Center staff to receive the award. Now in its 18th year, nomination for the annual award is “one of the highest honors a Sentara RMH physician can receive,” according to a sent by Sentara Health on April 1.

“I am truly honored to receive this award,” Ruth said in the release, “especially knowing it comes from colleagues I respect and collaborate with every day.”

The Golden Stethoscope Award is announced each year on National Doctors’ Day (March 30) and recognizes outstanding physicians who demonstrate excellence in patient care, customer service, communication, and teamwork.

‘91��Ƶ helped prepare me’

Originally from the Philadelphia area, Ruth came to the Shenandoah Valley to attend 91��Ƶ and graduated with a degree in biology and a minor in math. “It’s here that I met my wife (Laura Ruth ’09) and I really grew to love this area,” .

“91��Ƶ helped prepare me with the empathy, integrity, and the clinical skills that my patients need,” he said in a last summer.

After graduating from 91��Ƶ, Ruth earned his doctor of medicine from Pennsylvania State College of Medicine (Hershey, Pennsylvania) in 2015. He completed his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in general cardiology at the University of Virginia Health System. He joined the at Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg in August 2021.

Treats patients with compassion and humility

At Sentara, Ruth specializes in advanced imaging and preventive cardiology. His patients not only enjoy his professionalism, the release says, but also his warm, friendly demeanor.

Colleagues noted in their nominations that Ruth is a highly skilled, compassionate physician who provides exceptional, patient-centered care. He is known for listening carefully, communicating clearly, and going above and beyond to ensure patients feel respected, understood, and well cared for.

“Dr. Ruth brings a combination of clinical and imaging skills, compassion, and humility to every patient encounter,” Dr. Brad Rash, medical director of Sentara Cardiology Specialists, said in the release. “He is also an exceptional colleague and resource for our cardiology team. This recognition is well-deserved and a fitting tribute to the positive impact he has on the community.”

“Dr. Ruth earned that recognition through consistent excellence,” Dr. Robert Garwood, vice president and market chief medical officer at Sentara RMH Medical Center, said in the release. “He keeps his team well-informed, fosters a collaborative environment, and serves as an exceptional mentor. His sound judgment and thoughtful decision-making ensure the highest quality of care for his patients.”

Joyce Beachy ’25 found friendship in faculty at 91��Ƶ

Ryan Cornell — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:20:59 +0000

Joyce Beachy ’25 first arrived on 91��Ƶ’s campus as a student in January 2023. It was midway through the academic year, and everyone else already seemed well-acquainted with the campus and its community. Beachy, who was in her mid-30s and was more experienced in life and career than most of her peers, had trouble fitting in.

“That first or second week, I thought, ‘I’m not gonna make it. This is my last semester here, and I’m not coming back,’” she recalled.

But then, she said, she began forming deep connections with her professors.

“Going to school with students nearly half my age, I felt a little more connected with my professors than with my fellow students,” she said. “When I started making those connections, I had this feeling that I was going to be OK after all.”

She had met her advisor, English Professor Dr. Kevin Seidel, during an open house the previous fall. “He checked in one day to make sure I was doing all right,” Beachy said. “We talked about how my experience was going, and that was super helpful.”

These days, Joyce Beachy ’25 works as a literacy coordinator at Christian Light Publications in Harrisonburg.

Beachy graduated with degrees in English and writing studies last spring after five semesters at 91��Ƶ. She had transferred to the university from online classes at Blue Ridge Community College. By the time she enrolled at 91��Ƶ, she had already spent four years teaching at the church school she graduated from and another 10 years developing curriculum at in Harrisonburg.

When Beachy, who lives in Staunton, expressed interest in pursuing a bachelor’s degree, a co-worker at Christian Light recommended 91��Ƶ. He thought the close-knit community would be a good fit for her, and he was right.

“The fact that 91��Ƶ is small makes it more personable,” she said. “I feel like you get to know your professors better. I didn’t know that when I started, but I’ve enjoyed that.”

She mentioned Dr. Marti Eads and Chad Gusler as faculty members she’s grown close to. “I appreciate the connections I made here, and I feel that some of my professors are still my friends,” she said. “They’re people I connect with when I see them, which is really useful.”

Beachy worked part-time at Christian Light while taking classes as a full-time student and tried to find courses that fit her busy schedule. When the registrar suggested she take a sociology class, she enrolled in Dr. Gaurav Pathania’s class.

She described the sociology professor as “very personable” and fondly recalled that he served chai and cookies in class. “That was something I always enjoyed,” Beachy said. “We would have discussions outside of class, too, and it was interesting to hear his perspectives on life in India versus life here.” She enjoyed his introductory sociology class so much that she signed up for more classes with Pathania. Those sociology classes helped her think about the world differently and better understand social issues.

Pathania remembers Beachy as never missing a class and demonstrating a level of thoughtfulness and maturity that set her apart. “Joyce is truly one of the most exceptional students I have encountered in my five years of teaching at 91��Ƶ,” he wrote.

The English and writing studies grad on a trip to Iceland after graduation.

Through a “Local Context” intercultural program, Beachy spent a summer studying various neighborhoods and social groups in Harrisonburg. That experience led her to try different ethnic restaurants in the area. “I still enjoy doing that to this day,” she said.

Last spring, Beachy served as an editorial intern for 91��Ƶ’s marketing and communications department, writing many well-received articles for 91��Ƶ News. She attended the 2025 Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship Conference and wrote a recap about it. Her story about the intercultural to Guatemala and Mexico was one of the most read stories of 2025. She also wrote about an initiative by the Latinx Student Alliance to distribute “Know Your Rights” cards to members of Harrisonburg’s immigrant community. At the same time, she volunteered to help adult English learners at 91��Ƶ’s Intensive English Program, which was at the heart of another article written by her.

Near the end of her time at 91��Ƶ, Beachy was promoted to the role of literacy coordinator at Christian Light Publications. She said her employer is helping reimburse her for tuition costs.

“In the (conservative Mennonite) setting where I come from, it’s not as common for people to pursue higher education,” she said. “They didn’t have any program in place to help with tuition costs, but now they want to offer it to others who want to go to college, which I’m really excited about. It means some reimbursement for me, but it also opens a path for other people.”

Joyce Beachy and her fiancé, John Gingerich, are set to be married later this month.

Beachy said there are advantages to attending college as a nontraditional, older student. She met students who knew what they wanted to do and were serious about studying, as well as others who were in college because their parents wanted them there. “They didn’t know what they were doing,” she said. “I always felt sorry for them and wished they could just go out and work for a couple years and figure out what they actually wanted to do.”

She mentioned reading The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that was turned into a Brad Pitt movie a couple decades ago.

“It’s about a guy who’s born an old man, and he goes through life backwards,” she said. “I’ve thought about that story sometimes with my experience at 91��Ƶ. I felt like I was doing things backwards. Most people go to school and then start their careers. I did my career first, then went to school. But I’m really glad I did it. Now, if I have friends in their 30s who say, ‘Oh, I want to go to college,’ I tell them, ‘Yeah, you should. It’s absolutely worth it.’”

Alumna author to present novel at Lancaster-area reading

Ryan Cornell — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Melodie Miller Davis ’75 will share readings from her latest book, A Place in the Fold, at Landis Homes, a senior living community near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, April 9, at 2 p.m.

The novel is about a pastor and wife who are dealing with family issues, Davis said. It carries a clear faith message.

Copies of the novel will be on sale at the event for $10. Her other books will also be available to purchase for $2 or $3.

91��Ƶ the author

Davis was a dedicated Weather Vane staffer while at 91��Ƶ and graduated with an English degree. She worked for Mennonite Broadcasts Inc., now known as MennoMedia, in Harrisonburg for 43 years before retiring in 2018. She has written 12 books, mostly nonfiction. When her daughter challenged her to “write what people like to read: fiction,” she endeavored to write her first novel. A Place in the Fold released in November 2025.

She is the recipient of 91��Ƶ’s 2005 Distinguished Service Award.

91��Ƶ alumnus leads Lynchburg’s doctor of medical science program

Ryan Cornell — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Dr. Blake Rogers ’14 has been named director of the University of Lynchburg’s doctor of medical science (DMSc) program. He joined the faculty in 2024 as associate program director.

According to a , Rogers played a pivotal role in launching a comprehensive redesign that modernized the program’s structure, expanded its reach, and strengthened its position as a leading doctoral pathway for physician associates. “I’m honored by the trust placed in me and deeply grateful to the leaders, mentors, and colleagues who paved the way for my growth,” he said.

He holds a DMSc from the University of Lynchburg, a master of physician assistant studies from James Madison University, and a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental sustainability from 91��Ƶ.

Rogers said 91��Ƶ prepared him by grounding his education in service, perspective, and purpose. “My intercultural experience in Bolivia with Dr. Doug Graber Neufeld expanded my understanding of global health and challenged me to think beyond my own context,” he said. “At the same time, Dr. Carolyn Stauffer‘s Sociology of Health course helped me see how social, cultural, and systemic factors shape patient outcomes. Together, those experiences shaped not only my career path, but how I lead and serve today.”

Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success, taught Rogers in general chemistry when he was a student at 91��Ƶ. She said he showed a strong sense of civic engagement and confidence in his coursework, along with exceptional leadership and a commitment to service.

“I am thrilled to see him take on this leadership role in an educational setting and look forward to seeing how he inspires others to reach their academic potential while giving back to their communities,” she said.

Clockwise from top left: Blake Rogers ’14 helps Clover Hill EMTs check inventory in one of their ambulances at the station in 2014. | Rogers speaks during a 2015 workshop for the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District. | Then a physician assistant student at JMU, Rogers receives the 2018 PA Student of the Year Award. | Rogers ’14 and Matt Tieszen ’10, MA ’15 (biomedicine), return from an elective clinical rotation at Shirati KTM Hospital in Tanzania in 2018.

This isn’t the first time Rogers has been featured in 91��Ƶ News.

While a double major at 91��Ƶ, he volunteered with the Clover Hill Volunteer Fire Co. and interned at the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District, where he was hired after graduation. As a grad student at JMU, he received the 2018 Physician Assistant Student of the Year award and completed a clinical rotation at a hospital in Tanzania.

Rogers spent his 91��Ƶ intercultural experience studying biology and Spanish in Bolivia and the Galápagos Islands. A medical mission team experience in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, confirmed his desire to enter the medical field.

At the University of Lynchburg, Rogers said his favorite course to instruct is Ethics and Regulation of AI, where he guides students through modern dilemmas in health care. “I remain deeply influenced by 91��Ƶ’s emphasis on service, community, and global perspective as we prepare clinicians to lead and serve in a rapidly evolving health care landscape,” he said.

Alum’s new book explores joys and perils of hiking the Appalachian Trail

Ryan Cornell — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:23:42 +0000

Steven Carpenter MA ’11 (religion), a section hiker who has covered more than half the Appalachian Trail, released his new book, The Allure and Peril of the Appalachian Trail, this week.

The gripping 192-page paperback, published by Falcon Guides on March 17, reveals the trail as a place of both beauty and danger through unforgettable, never-before-told true stories.

From the book’s description:
Contrary to Bill Bryson’s popular book’s title, hiking the Appalachian Trail isn’t just “a walk in the woods.” It is a long and strenuous hike and danger abounds for unwary hikers. For many, the risk of peril adds to the allure of the trail. In this enthralling volume, long-time hiker Steve Carpenter explores the joys of the trail and the misfortunes that have befallen hikers. Including some history of the trail, Carpenter relays encounters with wildlife, accidents on the trail, stories of sex and murder, and meetings with larger-than-life thru hikers.

The book is available for purchase through retailers and locally at and . Carpenter will be at several local book signings:

Friday, March 20, 7 p.m.
Hotel Madison lobby, 710 S. Main St., Harrisonburg
Carpenter will give an interview and a sample reading, with books available for purchase and signing.

Thursday, April 16, 5:30 p.m.
Court Square Theater, 41-F Court Square, Harrisonburg
Carpenter and fellow trail book author Dave Pruett will host book signings, followed by a screening of the documentary, Beyond the Tree Line, at 6 p.m.
Suggested donation: $10

Saturday, April 18, 2 p.m.
Barnes & Noble, 289 Burgess Rd, Harrisonburg
Carpenter will sign copies of his new book, The Allure and Peril of the Appalachian Trail.

Carpenter is also the author of Mennonites and Media: Mentioned in It, Maligned by It, and Makers of It: How Mennonites Have Been Portrayed in Media and How They Have Shaped Media for Identity and Outreach (Wipf and Stock, 2014). He retired from the U.S. Coast Guard and spent another 23 years in church administration in Mennonite churches and agencies. He and his wife, Christine, live in Harrisonburg.

Read local press coverage of his book:

Augusta Free Press:

Daily News-Record:

‘This is something she would’ve supported’: Alumnus donates $90K to new intercultural fund in memory of late wife

Ryan Cornell — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:23:19 +0000

Intercultural Programs Alumni Grant Fund increases access for students, provides stipends for faculty leaders

A fall 1981 intercultural to Jerusalem left a lasting impression on the late Christine Good Shenk ’83.

The accounting grad, who passed away in July 2024, formed friendships that semester that endured long after she graduated from 91��Ƶ. Nine of her fellow students on the intercultural became part of a close-knit circle of friends known as “The Gang,” which has continued to gather regularly for decades.

In November 2021, 91��Ƶ News chronicled the group’s remarkable tradition in an article headlined, “The Gang: 38 years, 74 reunions…and counting.” (Courtesy photo)

Her widower, Ed Shenk ’83, was not part of the intercultural. At the time, the international agricultural development and biology education major was studying at Pennsylvania State University. Over the years, though, as the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, couple attended biannual reunions in major cities, members’ homes, beach houses, and even aboard a Caribbean cruise, he deepened his friendships with members of The Gang.

In her memory, he donated $90,000 to establish 91��Ƶ’s new Intercultural Programs Alumni Grant Fund and intends to make additional gifts going forward. The fund provides financial support for students who want to participate in intercultural programs but may not have the means to afford them.

91��Ƶ’s intercultural programs have impacted thousands of graduates, offering opportunities to engage in different cultures, build global relationships, and experience a new perspective.

“When I began to think about the impact of intercultural programs, it was the friends, the experiences, and the exposure to other cultures that really lasted for her,” Ed Shenk said. “This is something she would’ve supported.”

His donation marks the largest-ever gift from an alum specifically for intercultural programs, according to Tim Swartzendruber ’95, senior regional advancement director for 91��Ƶ.

“This is the first fund, in the 53 years of excellence in crosscultural learning at 91��Ƶ, that will go 100% to undergraduates who need financial support to seize this life-changing opportunity, and stipends for our adventuresome professors who lead interculturals!” he wrote in a recent Facebook post.

Christina Harrison, director of 91��Ƶ intercultural programs, called the grant fund a “game changer” for students. “This alumni-funded support will eliminate financial barriers for so many students who may be unable to consider an intercultural travel program due to lack of resources,” she said. 91��Ƶ leaders said they hope the fund will reach $500,000.

For more information about 91��Ƶ’s unique experiential intercultural learning opportunities, including future programs, visit .

Note “IPAGF” when you and you will join alumni like Ed Shenk who are paying it forward in a meaningful way for today’s students.

Mat Huff ’06 coaches Luray boys to state championship win

Ryan Cornell — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:11:31 +0000

Congratulations to Mat Huff ’06, head coach of the Luray High School boys basketball team, for leading the Bulldogs to their first state championship win since 1976. Huff was also an assistant coach for the 91��Ƶ “Runnin’ Royals” men’s basketball team that advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.

DSS Special Agent Hannah Patterson ’14 protects America’s athletes at 2026 Olympics and Paralympics

Ryan Cornell — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:50:00 +0000

When Team USA’s athletes took to the ice at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy last month, alumna Hannah Patterson ’14 was there to keep them safe.

Patterson is a special agent with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). She was one of more than 50 special agents assigned to protect America’s athletes and teams as they trained, competed, and traveled to media appearances.

The writing studies grad, who excelled as a cross-country and track athlete at 91��Ƶ, worked as a field liaison officer at the ice rinks in Milan, where she safeguarded USA’s figure skaters, hockey teams, and speed skaters, including gold medalists Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, and Jordan Stolz.

“Part of being there is taking time to observe the crowd and ensure everything’s secure and all set-up,” said Patterson. “But it’s also a lot of sport-watching and cheering on Team USA and hoping the athletes you’ve been with do well.”

“Figure skating was phenomenal. I was in awe of what they’re able to do. But the crowd with the biggest atmosphere, I think, was probably men’s and women’s hockey. It was a very exhilarating environment. It was hard not to get caught up and feel the roar of the crowd cheering on the teams.”

Hannah Patterson ’14, a special agent with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, worked a “pretty intense schedule” at the 2026 Winter Olympics, often starting her workday at 7 a.m. to protect athletes while they trained and working well past midnight for competitions that ended late.

‘It’s just one big adventure’

Born in Singapore to parents involved in community development work, Patterson moved with her family to Indonesia when she was 12. She attended Mountainview International Christian School. It was there she learned one of her classmates, nursing grad David Jantzi ’13, whose parents were alumni, had his sights set on attending 91��Ƶ.

“I ended up applying on a whim,” said Patterson, “and I’m so grateful I did.”

She said one of the major draws to 91��Ƶ was that its financial aid office was “so proactive” in telling her which grants and awards were available. “91��Ƶ was such an obviously tight-knit community that cared, even before I showed up, and that just followed through over the next four years,” she said. “Looking back now, I wouldn’t have done as well at a big state school where I would’ve felt like just a number. My professors were always there for me, and I loved that about 91��Ƶ.”

Another draw was its intercultural programs. Patterson immersed herself in the cultures of South Africa and Lesotho for a semester and said she treasures 91��Ƶ’s global focus.

“I love the sense of adventure that 91��Ƶ carries with it,” she said. “That’s something I feel almost every day on the job. It’s just one big adventure, and every day is a cross-cultural experience.”

Hannah Patterson ’14 (pictured third from left), a cross-country and track athlete at 91��Ƶ, said her coaches ensured she was growing and finding her place in the world. “I loved being on a team that was incredibly supportive, and I think my teammates, coaches, and track and cross-country teams really shaped me as a person, pushed me, and helped me grow. In a school that is so community-focused, it was nice to have an even tighter group to grow and dream with.”

Patterson graduated with a writing studies degree in 2014 (right photo). She said her intercultural experiences in South Africa (left photo) and Lesotho, along with the mentorship she received from professors, helped shape her love of adventure. “It’s a huge thing to be able to travel as much as I do and I am very grateful for it,” she said.

Landing the job

After graduating in 2014, Patterson was working at Black Sheep Coffee in Harrisonburg when she mentioned to a coworker she was seeking a career change. Unbeknownst to her, that coworker’s husband was a DSS agent working at a training center in West Virginia, and she suggested that Patterson would be a good fit for the job, based on her experience growing up overseas and her love of adventure.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted it to be relational,” Patterson said. “Along with the daily problem-solving and micro-challenges I enjoy, I’m very grateful this job exists, that I’m able to do it, and that I had a lot of good mentors at 91��Ƶ along the way to encourage me.”

Patterson worked at the training center (now known as the ) for a half-decade, before applying and landing a job as a . She began training in July 2021 and, after a rigorous training process, officially became an agent in April 2022.

Since then, she’s built up an impressive foreign service career. She worked in Kyiv, Ukraine, for three months during the war. She also served at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for one year.

Last year, Patterson interviewed for her current role as an agent at the Major Events Coordination Office, which secures international events such as the G7 and G20 summits, Pan American Games, and FIFA World Cup, in addition to the Olympics and Paralympics. When she learned she had been selected to join the office, she said she was “out-of-this-world thrilled.”

“It can be quite competitive, and I was very excited that I get to do this for the next two years (DSS agents typically switch offices every one to three years),” said Patterson. “Next year, we’ll have the Pan American Games and the Women’s World Cup, which will be in Brazil.”

This month, Hannah Patterson ’14 will help protect Team USA’s athletes as they train and compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, held in Milan and Cortina, Italy, from March 6-15.

Patterson, who has been in Italy since Jan. 27, will also keep watch over America’s athletes during the 2026 Winter Paralympics, held in Milan and Cortina from March 6-15. She’ll serve as one of the special agents staffing a DSS Joint Operations Center at the U.S. Consulate in Milan.

She took advantage of the four-day break in between training for the Olympics and Paralympics to explore the mountains of northern Italy. Inspired by the athletes she watched during the Olympics, she learned to ski for the first time.

“I never thought of this as a career option when I was going to school,” said Patterson. “I remember telling my poetry professor, Michael Ann Courtney, ‘I’m going to be a starving artist for the rest of my life,’ and she told me, ‘No, Hannah, don’t worry. The world is so much bigger than that.’ And it turns out she was right.”

‘Moment of a lifetime’: Alumna sings national anthem with Charlie Puth and choir at Super Bowl

Ryan Cornell — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 19:44:48 +0000

As the lead singer of the soulful, bluesy pop band , 91��Ƶ social work grad Erin Murray ’08 has performed in plenty of large venues.

She and her band have performed for legions of fans before Seattle Reign (National Women’s Soccer League) games and at Seattle Kraken (National Hockey League) games. But singing the national anthem as part of a choir with Charlie Puth at Super Bowl LX—in front of 70,823 fans at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and 124.9 million viewers watching on TV—was the largest audience she had ever played for.

Despite the massive crowd, she said she didn’t feel any nerves. “It’s harder for me to perform in a small space or more intimate setting,” she said.

Erin Murray ’08 says she made friends with many of the performers dressed in grass suits who were part of the set for the Bad Bunny halftime show.

‘All under wraps’

So how was the 91��Ƶ alumna able to land such a high-profile gig?

Since March 2023, Murray has been a member of the , directed by Terrance Kelly, which for the past four decades has made it its mission to inspire joy and unity through Black gospel and spiritual music traditions. Murray typically sings tenor in the choir but sang alto for their national anthem performance.

She said the production team working with Puth—the singer of such hits as See You Again and We Don’t Talk Anymore—reached out to the gospel choir and selected 10 performers. Ten members of the , an ensemble based in Charlotte, North Carolina, directed by Dennis Reed Jr., were also chosen.

“This was all under wraps; we couldn’t talk about it or anything,” Murray said. “But all of this happened within a week and a half, so we didn’t actually get our arrangements or parts until the Monday before the Super Bowl.”

On Friday, two days before Super Bowl Sunday, performers from the two choirs boarded a bus from Oakland, California, to Levi’s Stadium for sound check, where they were fitted for in‑ear monitors and the robes they would wear on the field.

“It was such a huge production,” said Murray. “In the same time span Brandi Carlile was singing America the Beautiful, we were singing our part with Charlie and the orchestra, and they were practicing videography for the flyover. All of that was being rehearsed at the same time.”

“It was pretty wild to have Brandi’s vocals live in my in-ear monitors because she’s one of my favorite contemporary singer-songwriters,” Murray added. “She’s a force to be reckoned with, so it was special to be in her orbit that way.”

Performers from the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and Sainted Trap Choir sang the national anthem with Charlie Puth at the start of Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.

The big day

On Sunday morning, the choirs arrived at the stadium, passed through security, and prepared for their performance at a nearby soccer field that had been turned into a green room. They shared the space with the orchestra and the performers dressed in grass suits who were part of the set for the Bad Bunny halftime show.

They walked through the same tunnel that Green Day, Carlile, and Bad Bunny used to enter the stadium. When the TV cameras cut to commercials, that’s when they took their places on the field.

Watch their performance below!

After they sang, they walked back out the tunnel, gave high-fives to some new “bush friends,” got on the bus, and were home by the fourth quarter, Murray said.

She said that working with Puth was “a total pleasure.”

“I don’t even think it’s really sunk in how much talent that man has,” she said. “Honestly, the same goes for Brandi. To be sandwiched between two incredible talents was a moment of a lifetime, for sure.”

Erin Murray ’08 poses with two of the nearly 400 performers dressed as sugarcane stalks for the Bad Bunny halftime show.

Intercultural in Guatemala-Mexico

Born and raised in Seattle, Murray attended Seattle Mennonite Church and said she had “a lot of musical influence from growing up there,” but it wasn’t until well after her days at 91��Ƶ that she began getting into music as a performer.

She attended the University of Washington for two years before spending a year in Washington D.C. through Mennonite Voluntary Service. She finished her last two years of her undergraduate degree at 91��Ƶ, graduating in spring 2008.

She credited her intercultural experiences in Guatemala and Mexico as being particularly formative. “That never would’ve happened if 91��Ƶ didn’t require it for its students,” she said. “I think, now more than ever, it’s important to stay connected to the larger world community and value people’s place in it, beyond what can feel convenient or easy.”

After graduating from 91��Ƶ, she participated in Serving and Learning Together (SALT), Mennonite Central Committee’s yearlong, cross-cultural voluntary service program. She also taught English in Guatemala and ran an after-school program in El Salvador before returning to Seattle and plugging into the city’s music scene. She moved to Oakland in November 2022.

Looking back over the past week, Murray said one of the biggest highlights was working with Reed, director of the Sainted Trap Choir, who arranged the background vocals for their rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.

“He’s so talented, and it filled my heart to work closely with him and sing in harmony with such skilled singers,” she said.

Alumna, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee MA ’07 appears on ‘CBS Mornings’

Ryan Cornell — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 03:29:37 +0000

Leymah Gbowee MA ’07 (conflict transformation), a graduate of 91��Ƶ’s world-renowned Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and a 2011 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, appeared on CBS Mornings with famed activist Gloria Steinem on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to discuss their new children’s book, Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All. (Orchard Books, 2026).

A description of the states:
In this bold anthem, feminist organizer and bestselling author Gloria Steinem and Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee share their parallel journeys as activists. … (Their) dual paths have inspired a friendship empowered by the principles of equality, progress, and hope for a new generation. Here, two friends come together to tell one uplifting story of girls and women strengthening one another and changing the world.

Watch the video of their appearance below!

91��Ƶ CBS Mornings

Each weekday morning, CBS Mornings co-hosts Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil, and Nate Burleson bring you the latest breaking news, smart conversation and in-depth feature reporting. CBS Mornings airs weekdays at 7 a.m. on CBS and streams at 8 a.m. on the CBS News app.

91��Ƶ Leymah Gbowee

Nobel Peace laureate Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist, social worker, and women’s rights advocate. She is founder and president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, based in Monrovia. As a writer, Gbowee is the author of the inspirational memoir Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War, and the children’s book A Community of Sisters. She is perhaps best known for leading a nonviolent movement that brought together Christian and Muslim women to play a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s devastating, 14-year civil war in 2003. Gbowee returned to 91��Ƶ to deliver commencement addresses in 2014 and 2018, the latter year being when she was awarded 91��Ƶ’s first honorary doctorate.

91��Ƶ Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem is a political activist, feminist organizer, and the author of many acclaimed books, including the national bestseller Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem. She is a contributor to the classic children’s book Free to Be You and Me. She is also the cofounder of the National Women’s Political Caucus and the Women’s Media Center. In keeping with her deep commitment to establishing equality throughout the world, Steinem helped found Equality Now, Donor Direct Action, and Direct Impact Africa.

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91����Ƶ at Lancaster celebrates resilience of its graduates at Commencement