Take a look around campus and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone involved in leading as many clubs and organizations as Leah Frankenfield.

In addition to leadership roles as a Royal Ambassador and with 91����Ƶ’s Royals RISE program, the senior psychology major has either led or helped start a number of athletic and advocacy clubs on campus: Badminton Club, Bike Club, Pickleball Club, Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA), and University Women’s Empowerment Network (UWEN). This year, she is representing her peers as Student Government Association co-president.

The Northern California native grew up hearing about the magic of 91����Ƶ from her father, James Frankenfield ’81, who shared stories of sledding down the 91����Ƶ Hill on trays from the caf. “He mostly talked about the impact 91����Ƶ had on his career,” said Leah Frankenfield. “He attributes a lot of his success in life to his chemistry degree from here.”

So when the time came for her to pick a college, 91����Ƶ was at the top of her list. The university’s tight-knit campus and her family connections—her cousins Greta Schrag ’24 and Libbie Derstine ’25 are recent graduates—added to the charm. She was also intrigued by the Mennonite culture her father grew up in. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the surrounding city of Harrisonburg, with its plentiful shops and restaurants, had so much to experience. 

“91����Ƶ offers a great balance between being in a rich cultural environment near a large university and having a small campus that provides personalized attention and opportunities to build deep relationships with professors,” said Leah Frankenfield. 

She said many of her professors allow students to take mental health days. “They want you to develop holistically as a person first,” she said. “They want you to prioritize your health, show up in the best way you can, and communicate with them. I’ve really appreciated that flexibility.”

Another benefit of attending 91����Ƶ is the wealth of scholarships and financial aid available to students. Leah Frankenfield is the recipient of a merit scholarship and the Pioneer College Caterers Scholarship, and is among the 100% of undergraduate students at 91����Ƶ who receive financial aid.

These days, the college senior is busy applying to grad school, with an eye toward counseling or school psychology. Whichever path she takes, she feels a twinge of bittersweetness. 

“I have these mixed feelings,” she said. “Sometimes I think, I can’t wait for the next step. At the same time, 91����Ƶ has challenged me to grow and explore my identity and explore how I make a new environment feel comfortable. I like the way I’ve made 91����Ƶ my home and, at the end of the day, it’s going to be sad to leave.”

Your support helps students like Leah pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov91����Ƶ Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91����Ƶ students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

Aram Hanson, an instructor in 91����Ƶ’s Intensive English Program (IEP), along with two of his IEP students, Dastan and Shalaw, conquered the competition at the 11th annual International Food Festival on Friday with their crowd-favorite Kurdish dishes.

Competing in the event for his first time, Hanson and his students prepared dolma (vegetables stuffed with rice and meat), biryani (a rice and meat dish), chicken tikka (kebabs), kuba (a type of dumpling), baklava and a variety of salads.  

“It seems that many people here liked our food, and that feels great,” he said after being announced as a winner. He added that two of his family members recently opened a restaurant called Kabob Corner on South Main Street in Harrisonburg, and that if people enjoyed his Kurdish food, they would love the dishes served at the restaurant.

For placing first in the individuals and small groups category, the trio of Kurdish cooks received $200 in winnings. A second-place prize of $125 was awarded to Mohammad Khatiri and Ayam Ali, the cheesecake-baking duo behind , and a $100 third-place prize was given to 91����Ƶ staff member Amina Anwar for her Pakistani biryani.

Since winning last year’s competition, Khatiri and Ali have been busy selling their cheesecakes through their Instagram page and said they plan to launch a website soon. Khatiri said he was glad to be back at the festival for another year. “We enjoy the whole vibe and like trying different types of food from different countries,” he said. 

The winners of the student clubs category received a trophy and bragging rights. They are:

• First place: Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA)
• Second place:  Black Student Alliance (BSA)
• Third place: Latinx Student Alliance (LSA)

A total of 14 teams participated in the competition. Those sampling the dishes could vote on their favorite cuisines through a QR code at each table. 

Hosted by the International Students Organization (ISO) and the International Food Festival Committee, the festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year, drawing hundreds of students, faculty, staff and other 91����Ƶ community members to celebrate the rich flavors and traditions from around the world. Micah Shristi, director of international student services, said that more than 275 people participated in this year’s festival. He said that students represent 55 countries at 91����Ƶ.

“A diversity of cultures, languages, and belief systems make our 91����Ƶ community stronger,” he said. “Nothing demonstrates this more deliciously than the International Food Festival.”

The turnout at the event included many students from other schools who were on campus for the Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship conference held over the weekend. One of those students, Abby Chappell Deckert of Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, said she enjoyed the Pakistani biryani. “I think it’s great,” she said while in line for cheesecake. “It’s really interesting to try food from other countries, and I think it’s a great alternative to the usual everyday ‘caf’ food that people get.” She said that Bethel has a very diverse student body, but does not have a similar food festival of its own.

While 91����Ƶ juniors Maria Longenecker and Leah Beachy may have disagreed on which cuisine earned their vote (Longenecker favored the Ethiopian dishes while her friend preferred the Kurdish ones), they said they both considered the festival among their favorite events of the year. “That Kurdish food was bussin, and you can quote me on that,” said Beachy, using a slang term for “delicious.”

In between bites, Harrisonburg Vice Mayor Dany Fleming and his wife, Carol, campus visit coordinator for the admissions office, took in the upbeat music and positive energy at the Student Union. “I love the diversity that 91����Ƶ brings and has brought historically to Harrisonburg,” the vice mayor said. “Part of the reason we are such an international city is specifically and directly because of 91����Ƶ and the work they do around the world.”

Friday’s event, held at the Orie O. Miller Hall of Nations inside University Commons, also included an announcement from ISO student leaders about seven new flags added to the hall: Belarus, Dominican Republic, Malawi, Mongolia, Puerto Rico, Sudan, and Uruguay. 

“These flags are more than fabric,” said 91����Ƶ senior and ISO co-President Fiker Yigzaw. “They are a testament to the stories, journeys, and contributions of our international students, past and present. Let’s continue to learn from one another, share in the joy of cultural exchange, and embrace the vibrant global spirit that unites us all.”

Take a look at more photos from the 2025 International Food Festival in our Flickr gallery below: