Those faculty members are:

• Dr. Katherine Evans: Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education
• Dr. James Leaman: Longacre Endowed Chair in Business and Leadership
• Dr. Peter Dula: Myron S. Augsburger Endowed Chair of Theology
• Dr. James Yoder: Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair of Science

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs for 91短视频, said these faculty members were chosen as endowed chairs because of their demonstrated leadership, service, teaching, and research, as well as their capacity to be champions of their programs at 91短视频. 

鈥淓ndowed chairs are a critical component of 91短视频鈥檚 academic vitality,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur goal is to elevate the recognition of our faculty who hold this honor and to celebrate the donors whose generosity helps to support academic excellence in this way.鈥�

The endowed chair positions provide funding for each faculty position within a particular discipline, along with scholarships for students in the discipline and funds for program initiatives. Chairs receive professional development funds to support their research and scholarship. An endowed chair appointment is one of the highest honors a faculty member can receive at 91短视频, supporting their continued excellence in scholarship and teaching, said the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

Keep reading for bios of each professor.

Dr. Katherine Evans

Professor of Teacher Education and director of the Undergraduate Teacher Education program
Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education

Kathy Evans is a professor of Teacher Education at 91短视频, teaching courses in educational psychology, special education, and restorative justice in education. She earned her PhD from the University of Tennessee in educational psychology and research. Her research, teaching, and scholarship focus on ways in which educators participate in creating more just and equitable educational opportunities for all students, including those with disability labels, those who exhibit challenging behavior, and those who are marginalized for a variety of reasons, including race, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. 

During her 15 years at 91短视频, Evans has helped develop 91短视频鈥檚 graduate program in Restorative Justice in Education (RJE), which supports educators as they create learning environments that promote relational approaches to teaching and learning, justice and equity in schools and classrooms, and transformational approaches to conflict and harm. She is the co-author of聽The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education聽and has published several articles and book chapters related to restorative justice in education, school culture and climate, and school discipline practices, focusing on the ways in which restorative justice is applied to educational contexts.聽

How do you feel to be granted this position?

It鈥檚 an honor to be appointed as the Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education. The Byler endowment has historically been such a gift to the Teacher Education Program at 91短视频, providing support for pre-service teachers in the way of fee waivers for testing and licensure, conference registration for networking with other pre-service teachers, scholarships, and resources that support their success through their 91短视频 program. We are in a season of growth and expansion and I am grateful for the opportunities I will have in this position to support that growth, both in the recruitment of talented and dedicated teachers and in the ongoing professional development for our faculty. At this moment in time, we need teachers who are committed to justice and peacebuilding. Embedding restorative justice within our teacher education program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels opens up spaces to support educators who want to not only excel as educators, but to be educators who nurture the well-being of each student. The Byler endowment helps us to do that work better.

What do you love about 91短视频?

This is my 15th year at 91短视频 and I am more hopeful about 91短视频鈥檚 future today than I have been since I arrived. The commitment to peacebuilding and justice鈥攅ven when we don鈥檛 fully live into that commitment鈥攎eans that there is a unifying set of values that guide our collective work. I see our students, staff, and faculty working to honor those values and that mission. Our students are amazing and they remind me every day that the work of justice is ongoing, intergenerational, and worth it.

What is a fun fact about you?

When I鈥檓 not working, I might be fishing鈥攂ass fishing at Silver Lake or fly-fishing at Dry River. I find the water so peaceful.

Dr. James M. Leaman

Associate Professor of Business and director of the Business and Leadership program
Longacre Endowed Chair in Business and Leadership

Jim Leaman chairs the Business and Leadership Program, where he teaches undergraduate courses in management, finance, and economics, and graduate courses in organizational and leadership studies. His industry experience spans both private business and nonprofit administration, including 12 years of service with an international non-governmental organization (INGO) in Kenya. The 91短视频 alumnus has a PhD in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

The perspective Leaman adds to his field is analyzing and teaching about the role and impact of business and organizations within ecological limits and dynamic social systems, resulting in an integrated lens of sustainability, stewardship and justice. Leaman researches and publishes in the areas of sustainable housing and energy, and his most recent scholarly work is a management textbook, with which he collaborated with an international team of authors to publish in the creative commons, resulting in lower resource costs for students. 

How do you feel to be granted this position?

It is an honor to hold the endowed chair position in business and to steward the gifts and vision of the Longacre family as the program serves and prepares the next generation of business leaders.

What do you love about 91短视频?

The 91短视频 mission to prepare students to serve and lead in a global context becomes more relevant with each new innovation and global integration.

What is a fun fact about you?

In awe of the vastness and complexity of the universe, I鈥檝e gained an avocational interest in learning as much as I can about the cosmos.

Dr. Peter Dula

Professor of Religion and Culture
Myron S. Augsburger Endowed Chair of Theology

Peter Dula is the professor of Religion and Culture at 91短视频. The 91短视频 alumnus received a PhD from Duke University in theology and ethics in 2004. He is the author of Cavell, Companionship, and Christian Theology (Oxford, 2011). Before coming to 91短视频 in 2006, he was the Mennonite Central Committee Iraq Program Coordinator. He has taught at Lancaster Mennonite High School and at the Meserete Kristos College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was a Fulbright scholar in 2001-02.

This is his 20th year at 91短视频. He teaches primarily in the undergraduate program, as well as one class each year at the seminary and the Bioethics course in the MA in Biomedicine program. He is married to Ilse Ackerman and they have two children, Simon (17) and Nina (15). 

What do you love about 91短视频?

Two things I love about 91短视频 are its smart and interesting faculty colleagues and its location in the Shenandoah Valley.

What is a fun fact about you? 

I planted 500 trees over the last couple of years. The latest Weather Vane issue has . Along with Trina Trotter Nussbaum at the Center for Interfaith Engagement, I organized last month’s consultation on Judaism, the Bible, and Anabaptism. The Weather Vane also has . 

Dr. James Yoder

Professor of Biology and director of the Natural Sciences programs
Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair of Science

Jim Yoder is the chair of 91短视频鈥檚 Department of Natural Sciences, advising environmental science and biology majors and teaching evolution, ecology, and conservation biology. A 1994 alumnus of 91短视频, he earned his PhD from The Ohio State University, where he studied the effects of habitat fragmentation on ruffed grouse movements at large spatial scales. His research interests include conservation, landscape and behavioral ecology, animal movement, invasive species, stream restoration, nitrogen and carbon footprint tracking, and insect movement using harmonic radar. He has also led multiple intercultural programs to New Zealand, the Navajo Nation, and Washington D.C. (upcoming), as well as three research trips with undergraduates to Australia. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, traveling, and hiking with his wife Kathy. 

How do you feel to be granted this position?

I’m honored to be named the Suter Endowed Chair of Science and work to continue the level of scholarship and teaching Daniel Suter established in the natural sciences at 91短视频. Coordinating the long-running Suter Science Seminar Series with a diverse array of speakers and increasing collaborative research among our science faculty and undergraduate students are two aspects of being Suter Chair that I’m most excited to focus on. 

What do you love about 91短视频?

Wonderful colleagues, a diverse student body, and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley鈥攊t’s a great place to be a field biologist!

What is a fun fact about you?

My wife and I recently moved into a loft apartment in the heart of downtown Harrisonburg above . It keeps us young at heart!  And we are soon to be grandparents for the first time!

Jake Bell serves as president and CEO of Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC) in Harrisonburg. As a seasoned executive leader with more than 20 years of experience in faith-based senior living, his expertise is in leading strategic change, preserving organizational missions, and expanding service offerings. 

Prior to VMRC, Bell served as president and CEO of Christian Horizons, a faith-based senior living organization with eleven locations across four states. He also served as chief operating officer for Lutheran Senior Services and as president and CEO of Catholic Health East Trinity Health.

Jake holds bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in zoology from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma State University, respectively. He also earned an MS in administration of long-term care and retirement facilities from the University of North Texas.

Jess King 鈥�96 has spent her career as a leader and social entrepreneur in the civic sector. She serves as the founding executive director of the Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement, a Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting local journalism and boosting the community鈥檚 relationship with news media.聽

Her prior experience includes serving as the chief of staff for the City of Lancaster; as executive director of ASSETS Lancaster, an organization that helps people achieve better lives through entrepreneurship; and leading economic development in Pittsburgh.

King earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in liberal arts from 91短视频 and an MBA from Bard College. She and her husband, Chad, have two daughters.

Bruce Thomas 鈥�85 is a CPA and shareholder at the accounting firm Detweiler, Hershey & Associates in Souderton, Pennsylvania. He has extensive experience in tax and financial statement compliance, quality control, and business consulting, serving individuals, family-owned businesses, and nonprofit organizations. 

Thomas earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting from 91短视频. He has held leadership and committee roles on several nonprofit boards, both church-related and community-based. 

He and his wife, Joy, are members of Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. They have two adult children, Ryan 鈥�17 and Anika 鈥�19.

A list of all board members is located at the President鈥檚 Office webpage.

James Diller is a strategic advisor to investors, corporate and nonprofit boards, senior executives, and entrepreneurs. His 30-year career spans corporate finance, governance, mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, and workouts; it includes 12 years at a Fortune 500 company where he led corporate financial strategy teams and navigation of the global financial crisis. Diller founded Long View Capital Advisors, LLC in 2020.

His professional career began at an international economic development consulting firm where he provided financial guidance and managerial support to agri-business development projects in Africa and Asia. Diller also served with Eastern Mennonite Missions in France, Sweden, and Hong Kong. He grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, attending Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations.

A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder, Diller is a graduate of American University and Hesston College. He and his wife, Jolene Houser 鈥�81, live in Poolesville, Maryland.

Mathew Koshy is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite High School (鈥�74) and holds a PhD in applied mathematics (鈥�83) from Stony Brook University with an emphasis in numerical analysis. He taught mathematics at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the California State University system for five years. Since then, he has worked as a research mathematician, computer scientist and engineer specializing in imaging, statistical signal processing, and semiconductor design and analysis at the University of California San Francisco and at several companies in California鈥檚 Bay Area.

Koshy and his wife, Rebecca, live in San Mateo, California, and are active members of the Burlingame Presbyterian Church where he has served as a member of the Session and Board of Trustees. The couple has two adult sons, who live in California and Texas.

A list of all board members is located at the President鈥檚 Office webpage.

鈥淚鈥檓 honored to have the opportunity to serve another term as board chair and am particularly grateful for trustees like Glenna and Jim, who have also willingly accepted the call to serve another term alongside so many talented new trustees who have joined us over the past year,鈥� said Nu帽ez (pictured left). 鈥淭his continuity of service among trustees is indicative of the incredible momentum 91短视频 has as an institution. The five-year strategic visioning process and major comprehensive capital campaign points to a future that we鈥檙e all excited about.鈥�

President Susan Schultz Huxman shared the Board of Trustees updates with the 91短视频 community at her Town Hall in March. 鈥淲hat a gift Manny has been to us during these pandemic years and now in this quasi-post-pandemic year.鈥� Louise Otto Hostetter 鈥�79, assistant secretary of the board, added, 鈥淭he 91短视频 Board of Trustees is happy to invite Manny Nu帽ez to a second term as chair. We benefit from his experienced, knowledgeable leadership in academia and commitment to continuing academic excellence in training servant leaders.鈥�

Janet Lind works in information technology as director of integration services at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has held a number of positions in identity management, team management, project management, and systems analysis. She grew up in Eugene, Oregon. Lind graduated from Goshen College with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music and from Drexel University with a Master of Science in Information Studies.

Lind is a charter member of Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster where she has held several leadership positions including chair of congregational council. She currently lives in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, with her family. While she has never been an 91短视频 student, her son Isaac Esh 鈥�22, husband Calvin Esh MEd 鈥�05, parents, and numerous extended relatives are 91短视频 graduates.

Susan Taylor is a 23-year partner in Just Money Advisors, a financial planning and investment management firm that specializes in socially-responsible investment strategies and community development backing. She is serving her fifth year on the Mennonite Education Agency Investment Committee and also serves on the investment committee of Natural Investments, LLC. Taylor serves as board chair for Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries in Oak View, California. She is board vice-chair for Faith and Money Network in Washington, DC and is part of the ministry mission group to people experiencing homelessness, run by her small church community in Louisville, Kentucky. Her church, Jeff Street Baptist Community, is explicitly committed to peacebuilding and nonviolence; it is part of a local coalition of churches working for justice in Louisville and enjoys several Mennonite connections.

Prior to joining Just Money Advisors, Taylor was an economist in Corporate Treasury for Bank of America. She earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Western Kentucky University and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Taylor writes and presents workshops on issues of money and faith, social investing, and intentional banking. She has been married 35 years to Andy Loving, who is the founder and her partner at Just Money Advisors. They have two adult children.

A list of all board members is located at the President鈥檚 Office webpage.

鈥淥ne of the most important tasks of the [91短视频 and MEA] boards is the appointment of a president,鈥� said MEA board chair Judy Miller. 鈥淭he charge to the committee is to create a presidential position profile informed by multiple perspectives including existing statements of strategic direction for the university. The committee will review the position profile with both the 91短视频 and MEA boards and promote the position in order to generate a broad range of candidates. Committee work will culminate in recommendation of a candidate of choice to the 91短视频 and MEA boards.鈥�

Andy Dula, president of the 91短视频 Board of Trustees, said, 鈥淚 am grateful for the diversity of life experiences and perspectives represented by this committee. I am confident that the search committee, led by trustee Evon Bergey, will recommend a president ideally suited for leading and expanding 91短视频鈥檚 mission to educate students to serve and lead in the global context.鈥�

The committee includes:

• Evon Bergey, current 91短视频 board member and chair of the search committee, Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Bergey is Vice President, Operations Public Sector, .
• Shana Peachey Boshart, 91短视频 board member, Wellman, Iowa. Boshart is conference minister for Christian formation, youth ministry, congregational resources and communications for .
• Steve Brenneman, founder and CEO of , Goshen, Indiana. Brenneman is a graduate of 91短视频 and parent of an incoming 91短视频 student. Brenneman previously served on the board of and as an 91短视频 associate trustee.
• Hannah Chappell-Dick, 91短视频 student, Bluffton, Ohio. This fall, Chappell-Dick will be a senior in the 91短视频 Honors Program with a major in biology.
• , PhD., professor at 91短视频 and former academic dean, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Heisey served as president of Mennonite World Conference from 2003-2009.
• Basil Marin, MEA board member, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Marin is a graduate of . He serves as a pastor for , a member congregation of .
• Cedric A. Moore, Jr., chief executive officer of the , Richmond, Virginia. Moore is an 91短视频 graduate and serves as vice-president of the 91短视频 Alumni Council.
• J. Richard Thomas, superintendent of , Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Thomas is a former 91短视频 board member and former moderator for .
• , PhD., 91短视频 professor of , Harrisonburg, Virginia. Sawin is the director of the 91短视频 Honors Program and serves as a member of the Regional Chapters Committee of the American Studies Association.
• Roy Williams, MEA board member, Tampa, Florida. Williams is a retired bank executive, the pastor of and former moderator of Mennonite Church USA.
• Carlos Romero, executive director of Mennonite Education Agency, Goshen, Indiana. Romero is an ex-officio member of the search committee.

The Presidential Search Committee is responsible to both the 91短视频 board and the MEA board. 鈥淭he 10 search committee members, selected by MEA and 91短视频 board with faculty and student nominations were selected to ensure a wide representation of the voice of the stakeholders,鈥� said Evon Bergey, chair of the search committee. 鈥淭he committee will work to discern the leadership needs for 91短视频, keeping closely in mind the unique contributions that 91短视频 as a church institution has made 鈥� past, present and future 鈥� to the church, the local community and the world.鈥�

Carlos Romero, executive director of MEA and ex-officio member of the search committee, said, 鈥淚 believe the committee is well-equipped to search for and recommend a president for 91短视频 who will help lead the institution into the future. The breadth of experience and deep commitment to 91短视频 and Mennonite Church USA is a precious gift that each of the committee members brings to the endeavor.鈥� Romero noted that at the first meeting in July, the committee will lay the groundwork for the search process and refine the presidential profile.

Editor’s note: Anne Kaufman Weaver ’88 was added to the committee after publication of this article. Weaver is from Brownstown, Pennsylvania, and works as a leadership coach with Coaching Connection. Weaver has served, along with her husband, Dr. Todd Weaver, on the Science Campaign Steering Committee. She will graduate in 2016 with a master’s in divinity from Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Shank replaces outgoing director Doug Nyce `86, who after 11 years with 91短视频, will become resident services manager for Park Village at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.

“We are very pleased that Jeff Shank is joining our advancement team,鈥� said Kirk Shisler, vice president of advancement. 鈥淗e brings significant experience and vision for engaging our students, alumni and parents in ways that will energize them as advocates and supporters of 91短视频’s mission and vision.”

Shank, who has served on the 91短视频 Board of Trustees, looks forward to contributing to the 91短视频 community in a different way.

鈥淎s an alumnus of the school, I have always valued my education, the professors, friendships, and experiences I had at the university,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t will be a joyful experience to relate to other alumni and parents who appreciate 91短视频 as well, and I hope to enhance the alumni and parent experience in ways that keep everyone connected.”

Shank鈥檚 extensive experience contributes to his readiness to fill what is essentially a new position in 91短视频鈥檚 advancement division focused on enhancing the advocacy and annual giving of alumni and parents.

Since 2009, Shank has been superintendent of Sarasota Christian School, a pre-K-12 academy, where he oversees a $3.6 million budget, approximately 60 employees, and 420 students. Under his leadership, the school earned several awards, including “Family Living” magazine’s Best Private School award; Florida High School Athletic Association鈥檚 Floyd E. Lay award for the top 2A program in Florida; and the Sister Cities One World Award for development of global partnerships.

Prior to that, Shank served in a variety of positions at LMS in an association that spanned 14 years and several promotions. He began his career at LMS as a special education teacher from 1995 to 1999, then worked the next four years with Baltimore County schools, and returned to LMS in 2002 to take an administrative position as the K-12 special education coordinator.

Over the next seven years at LMS, Shank was also a development associate and alumni relations director and internal coordinator for accreditation, before serving one year as assistant principal of the Locust Grove Campus and finally becoming executive director of development/alumni relations.

During that time, he also earned an MA in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in leadership from Penn State University. In 2014, he was elected to the executive committee of the Mennonite Schools Council.

Shank and his wife Julie Litwiller Shank ’95 have three children: Ryan, 12, Tyler, 9, and Emilee, 5.

The November 2013 board decision to suspend personnel actions related to the current hiring policy will remain in effect as discernment continues.

In offering his public appreciation to and his leadership team, Andy Dula, chair of the 91短视频 Board of Trustees, said, 鈥淚 am proud to be part of 91短视频, a university where contentious issues can be engaged with mutual respect and with Christian discernment and compassion. We are extremely grateful for President Swartzendruber鈥檚 leadership during this challenging time.鈥�

鈥淭he process was consistent with how the church engages in discernment around difficult issues,鈥� said Carlos Romero, executive director of .

The president鈥檚 cabinet invited a wide range of constituents 鈥� including students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, church leaders 鈥� to fill out survey forms giving their views on the hiring policy. 鈥淢ore than 7,000 people responded to our survey,鈥� according to BJ Miller, director of institutional research.

In addition, 20 鈥渄ialogue sessions,鈥� including approximately 300 individuals on campus, were held. At least one president鈥檚 cabinet member was present at each session to listen and anonymously report perspectives to the rest of the cabinet. The president and cabinet members also engaged leaders across the church.

鈥淭he listening process was extremely valuable in enabling the president鈥檚 cabinet to gain a deeper understanding of the range of feelings, hopes and fears about extending university employment to persons in same-sex covenanted relationships,鈥� added Dula.

鈥淏ased on this feedback, we acknowledge that the church is currently engaged in extensive discernment over human sexuality. We wish to honor our relationship with the church by not taking a final action now on changing 91短视频鈥檚 hiring policy.鈥�

According to Swartzendruber, 鈥淲e solicited feedback through the listening process, not because it is a democratic process but because we felt it was important to hear from those who care deeply about 91短视频.鈥�

Swartzendruber confirmed that views proved to be highly divergent and often passionate, regardless of the stance. 鈥淲e never expected to see consensus on this matter,鈥� said Swartzendruber. 鈥淲e were hoping for respectful dialog, and indeed this is what we saw within our university community. Internally there was a consistent theme of wanting to maintain unity in spite of our diversity on these and other important issues.

鈥�91短视频鈥檚 role as a university is to grapple with the difficult questions of our time,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom the beginning, we bathed this process in prayer, seeking God鈥檚 guidance. We also received encouragement from numerous church leaders and members to stay engaged with the Mennonite Church as we wrestle with these questions.鈥�

Dula said the board has no definite timetable for making a final hiring policy decision. 鈥淢any of us from 91短视频 will participate in the Mennonite Church USA鈥檚 continuing discussions on human sexuality 鈥� we鈥檒l consider what emerges in the wider church in making our plans,鈥� he said.

The board鈥檚 official statement, passed by a strong majority vote on June 20, 2014:

We reaffirm 91短视频鈥檚 mission鈥攖o prepare students to serve and lead in a diverse global society鈥攁nd 91短视频鈥檚 role as a university that fully engages the difficult questions of our time and welcomes diverse perspectives and experiences into the conversation. Out of respect for 91短视频鈥檚 relationship with Mennonite Church USA and its ongoing discernment of human sexuality, we defer action on formally changing 91短视频鈥檚 policy on hiring employees in covenanted same-sex relationships. The November 2013 board decision to suspend personnel actions related to the current hiring policy will remain in effect as the discernment process continues.

That鈥檚 what is happening at 91短视频.

鈥淚nteracting with people of other faiths builds friendship and understanding 鈥� something we sorely need in this world,鈥� says , PhD, director of , 鈥渁nd interfaith dialogue strengthens our own faith.鈥�

This semester a Muslim professor from Iran is teaching 鈥淚slamic Spirituality鈥� and a Jewish rabbi from New York City is teaching 鈥淪piritual Writers and Spiritual Writings.鈥� Both of them join an instructor from to lead a class on 鈥淐omparative Monotheisms: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.鈥�

Focusing on the three Abrahamic religions

91短视频 is focusing on the three world religions that worship one God 鈥� Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Over the centuries Christians, Muslims and Jews have fought each other savagely. Millions have died in the name of their God. But the three religions share a common birthplace 鈭� the Middle East 鈭� and a common ancestor, Abraham. And they have enjoyed periods of peaceful co-existence.

CIE鈥檚 logo features Abraham鈥檚 tent, which the center 鈥榮 website describes as 鈥渙pen to the four winds, a safe place of hospitality towards strangers and engagement with them.鈥�

鈥淚n today鈥檚 world and in a pluralistic society like ours, it is important that our students learn to know people of other faiths,鈥� says Martin. 鈥淥ur students will be going to places 鈭� both in the United States and abroad 鈭� where they will encounter people of other faiths.鈥�

Martin says the historic differences between the three religions are exacerbated today by the Israel-Palestine conflict, the rise of Muslim extremism, and the United States鈥� counter-attacks after the terrorist attack on New York City in 2001. He decries the prevalence of 鈥淚slamophobia鈥� in the United States.

Course co-taught by Muslim, Jewish and Christian scholars

CIE, which is funded entirely by foundation grants and private donations, offers several courses each semester by visiting scholars. The team-taught 鈥淐omparative Monotheisms鈥� course this semester draws two dozen undergraduates, graduate students, seminarians and members of the community.

鈥淪tudents ask all sorts of questions, from theology to history, ancient or contemporary,鈥� says the Muslim scholar, Amir Akrami, PhD. 鈥淗owever, the focus of our work is on prayer, scripture, reasoning, politics and action.鈥�

Akrami, who has taught at 91短视频 since September 2012, is from the in Tehran. He was a regular participant in the internationally respected Building Bridges Seminars around the world.

Akrami鈥檚 wife, Sheida Shakouri Rad, PhD, joined him at 91短视频 a year ago. She is teaching Farsi, the language of Iran, this semester. Last semester she taught 鈥淲omen in Islam.鈥� She is on leave from the University of Tehran, where she has been a professor for 15 years.

The two other professors for the comparative-monotheism course are Niles Goldstein, an award-winning author and ordained Reform Jewish rabbi, and Reuben Shank, an 91短视频 adjunct faculty member who is Mennonite and studying for a doctorate in religion at the University of Virginia.

Films, interfaith peace camp, lessons from disaster work

The fifth CIE course this semester is 鈥淭he Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Film,鈥� taught by Bob Bersson, PhD, a retired professor of art and art history at James Madison University in Harrisonburg and founder of the local .

In addition to bringing scholars to campus, CIE offers an each summer, which includes trips to the local mosque and synagogue. Other events have been a Wednesday film series and Thursday forums.

CIE鈥檚 director likes the way that interfaith engagement sometimes emerges from work on the ground at disaster sites, both at home and abroad. 鈥淧eople of different faiths find themselves working together,鈥� says Martin, 鈥渁nd they get to know each other.鈥�

One result of Martin鈥檚 interest is an upcoming speech at 91短视频 on how 鈥渄isasters blow down fences and make good neighbors鈥� by a federal government official, who is a former Mennonite pastor. He is David Myers, and he will speak on March 20. He is a senior advisor at the in Washington D.C. and works in faith-based and neighborhood partnerships for both the White House and the .

Martin experienced the connection between disaster relief and interfaith engagement first hand when a major earthquake hit Iran in 1990, killing more than 35,000 people. He worked at the time as program director for central and southern Asia for , a North American relief, development, and peacebuilding agency that works in about 60 countries.

MCC exchange welcomed in Iran

MCC wanted to respond to a country considered a U.S. enemy, 鈥渢o demonstrate that we would respond to human need wherever it occurred, irrespective of the religion and politics of the country,鈥� Martin says. But the United States and Iran had no diplomatic relations (and still don鈥檛), making travel to Iran difficult, and MCC wondered whether the hardline Muslim government would welcome an overtly Christian aid agency.

鈥淚t turned out, however, that Iran was more comfortable with an explicitly Christian organization than with secular agencies,鈥� says Martin. 鈥淭hey understand the motivation that comes from religious faith.鈥� So MCC was able to establish a long-term relationship with the Iranian Red Crescent Society on disaster relief and reconstruction as well as assistance to refugees.

The post-earthquake work then led to interfaith dialogue in the form of student exchanges and Muslim-Christian conferences every two to three years. The sixth conference will be held this May in Qom, an Iranian city known for being a center of Islamic scholarship. Martin will attend, along with some 91短视频 students.

Under the direction of Dr. Ed Martin

Martin was a program director with MCC from 1989 to 2007, based at its headquarters in Akron, Pa. After that he went to the , an international Quaker organization, in Philadelphia. He helped build connections between Iranian institutions and the United States and advocated for better relations between the two countries.

He started his career as an MCC volunteer in Nepal, where he met his future wife, Kathy Yoder. Later he worked at the in Sri Lanka. A graduate of Stanford University, Martin earned graduate degrees at Cornell University 鈥� a master鈥檚 in public administration and a doctorate in agricultural economics.

The vision for interfaith engagement at 91短视频 grew out of conversations among faculty, resulting in a formal proposal to the Board of Trustees, which it approved in 2009. The center opened later that year in the seminary building, with seminary professor Gerald Shenk, PhD, as part-time director. Martin was appointed director in 2010, serving part time and commuting from Pennsylvania.

Near and far support

CIE鈥檚 largest donor to date is the of New York City, which has given $355,000 over three years.

A major local supporter is John Fairfield, PhD, co-founder of the Rosetta Stone language-software company and professor emeritus of computer science at James Madison University. 鈥淚 enjoy getting inside the head of someone who thinks very differently than I do,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like travel to a foreign country 鈭� makes you notice things in your own country you鈥檇 taken for granted.鈥�

He adds: 鈥淐IE is where we Mennonites meet other kinds of Christians, Muslims, Jews, atheists, liberals, conservatives and all kinds of people who challenge our understanding, because we value their critique and insights. And of course we think we鈥檝e got something to offer, and we challenge them pretty deeply too. They seem to appreciate it. We need each other.鈥�

And that鈥檚 why 91短视频 goes out of its way to bring people of different faiths together.

In action taken during an executive session the morning of Nov. 16, the board authorized, DMin, and his cabinet 鈥渢o design and oversee a six-month listening process (beginning January 2014) with 91短视频鈥檚 multiple constituencies.鈥�

The recommendation issued by the board said, 鈥淭he purpose of the listening process is to review current hiring policies and practices with respect to individuals in same-sex relationships.鈥�

鈥淎s a Christian university it is our responsibility to engage in community discussion and discernment over issues that Mennonite congregations 鈥� indeed almost all denominations in the United States today 鈥� are wrestling with,” Swartzendruber told faculty and staff during a 90-minute 鈥淯niversity Forum鈥� on the morning of Nov. 18. He noted that the board made this recommendation unanimously and stressed that the outcome of the 鈥渓istening process鈥� cannot be predicted in advance of holding it.

In its official statement, the board 鈥渞eaffirms 91短视频鈥檚 relationship with and its practice of biblical discernment in community.鈥� It also reaffirmed 鈥樷��91短视频鈥檚 Academic Freedom policy,鈥� which upholds the right of staff, faculty and administrators 鈥渢o articulate their personal beliefs and values.鈥�

Swartzendruber said he would draw on university resources to help him organize a listening process that will encourage all views and voices to be shared widely, with attention 鈥済iven to relationships and prayer throughout the process.鈥�

Citing the thoughts of one board member, Swartzendruber said, 鈥淯nilateral decision-making leads to broken relationships and rogue actions. Collaborative decision-making means that a community is functioning well. This board鈥檚 decision and this process will, I think, show how well our community functions. God is giving us the opportunity to model respect for each other, honesty and integrity.鈥�

The listening process is expected to wrap up in time for a report to be delivered to the board of trustees during its June 2014 meeting.

In his Nov. 18 remarks to faculty and staff, Swartzendruber recalled accepting a call in 1978 to be the pastor of a Mennonite congregation in eastern Pennsylvania. He was 28 years old, fresh from . Upon arriving, he found a letter on his desk from a gay member, who was now living in an urban area but who welcomed Swartzendruber to the church. In his pastoral role, Swartzendruber recalled trying to help this gay man and his parents have a healthy familial relationship, but feeling unprepared for this role from his seminary training in that era.

Swartzendruber offered this example in support of聽 “the reality” that discussions within the broader Mennonite church on non-majority sexual orientations have been occurring for decades, including in such publications as the and and in Mennonite Church USA forums such as delegate sessions and district conference meetings.

“One responsibility of leadership is to help define reality,” said Swartzendruber.

This article is adapted from an address to the Lancaster MEDA Chapter. Andy Dula, a 1991 91短视频 graduate, is chief financial officer at EG Stoltzfus Construction, Lancaster, Pa. In June 2010 he began a three-year term as 91短视频 board of trustees chair.

Andy Dula, a 1991 91短视频 graduate and current 91短视频 board of trustees chair, is chief financial officer at EG Stoltzfus Construction of Lancaster, Pa.

Like many people in business, I live in a world of doing, producing, constructing, expanding and sometimes just surviving. We are often judged by financial metrics and measurable results, as in, "What have you done for me lately?"

In the larger scheme of things, however, a more important question is, "Who am I becoming?"

And to answer it I need to take account of all the influences that have shaped me. Each of the acts and scenes of my personal narrative impact who I am becoming in this theatre we call life.

Born across the globe

I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My mother, a missionary nurse, met and married my dad, an Ethiopian – no small feat in the 60s. My early years were spent in Indiana where my father attended Goshen College.

After he graduated we moved to Philadelphia and spent four years living next door to Germantown Mennonite Church while he attended pharmacy school.

My formative years were shaped by the overwhelming generosity of that community. People cared for my brother and me while my dad studied by day and my mom worked the night shift as a nurse.

Generosity of the church

In 1975 we moved to Lancaster, Pa., where my father accepted a job as a pharmacist at the St. Joseph Hospital. Here too I experienced the generosity of the church, first at North End Mennonite and later Blossom Hill.

I have been fortunate to spend all of my life in a church setting that has been life giving and faith infusing, and has included the witness of people from a wide array of professions and life experiences.

The generosity I received had very little to do with anything I had done, but remains a part of who I am becoming. I am who I am today because people along the way have mentored me in word and deed.

Foray into business

In 1991, fresh out of 91短视频, I helped to start an Ethiopian restaurant with my father and another partner. My first foray into the real world of business was an adventure in finding my own way. No boss to learn from, no previous knowledge, no experiences of best practices for running a restaurant, no established policies for accounting, managing costs or handling employees.

All I had was an education in business and the liberal arts. It was my first true immersion into doing whatever it took to keep a business alive.

I had come out of college wanting to be a mover and a shaker in the world of business; instead I was washing dishes one night and waiting tables the next. One moment I was performing payroll and the next I was dealing with an angry customer.

But learning to do whatever was needed was shaping who I am becoming.

Business can be a noble enterprise

My restaurant experience stripped me of any notion that business was a glamourous adventure in self-serving motivations and profit-seeking indulgence.

Rather, it showed me how business can be a noble enterprise of service and teamwork to develop communities that are life giving to customers, employees and society in general.

My next career move was as improbable as my first. I took a position in the drafting and design department of Elam G Stoltzfus Jr Inc. Again a real logical move – business degree, restaurateur, construction.

I spent my first spring working on a framing crew carrying 4×8 sheets of plywood one day and sitting at a drafting table the next.

‘Doing’ but also ‘becoming’

Once again I was "doing" but at the same time I was more importantly "becoming." I had no idea then how having a broad understanding of the construction industry would benefit me in the years to come.

By 1994 I was doing estimating and project management, and in 1996 started running our accounting department.

Today I carry the title of Chief Financial Officer of EG Stoltzfus and along with four others provide leadership to EG and its 25 subsidiary companies.

91短视频 EG Stoltzfus

Our companies are involved primarily in residential home building and renovations, general commercial construction, historic adaptive re-use of under utilized buildings, work force housing, land acquisition and development, mortgage brokering, and title insurance services.

Each year we build 200-300 homes, renovate 75 residential properties, and construct and renovate 20-30 commercial projects.

Titles mean nothing to us. Our founder never liked them, nor do I or the rest of the senior management staff. Titles merely identify our structure to those outside of the organization.

We believe in a flat non hierarchical structure, which empowers persons to unleash their own entrepreneurial spirit at all levels of the operation. It is one of the mechanisms by which we affirm each individual’s unique contribution and gifts.

My daily work involves providing leadership and support to staff, leading and participating in senior management team meetings, acquiring capital for our multiple companies from banks and individuals, starting and monitoring individual land development companies, assessing the viability of various land projects from both a marketing and financial standpoint, and providing counsel to fellow team members both at the work and personal level.

The social opportunities of business

Business truly is a social science and there are few things more draining and more rewarding than dealing with the human spirit on a daily basis. You have countless opportunities to practice Christian virtues at times when it is least expected and may even seem stupid to do so.

Why would anyone extend grace and forgiveness when someone at best has had a lapse in judgement and at worst has been deceitful in a way that wastes significant resources. It happens, and has happened to us.

Recently our company’s entire staff and spouses had the opportunity to go away to a beautiful historic resort to celebrate our 40 years in business. As we were eating dinner one evening, Colleen, who handles our Human Resources, told us about the process leading up to the retreat.

The resort had given her a list of the best rooms and asked which people from the guest list were senior managers. He wanted to make sure that we got the best rooms.

"No, no," Colleen told him. "Give the senior management team the smallest, least desirable rooms."

There was a pause and the dismayed resort representative said, "You want to give your top management team the worst rooms?"

Colleen explained that some of the people coming on this trip would never again have the opportunity to stay at a place like this. "We want them to have the best rooms," she said.

The manager later told Colleen that his staff had been impressed by the unusual room arrangements. "No one has ever requested that before," he said. "Your company understands what makes a really good company."

Contrast that with some executives who send pictures of themselves in advance so the resort staff will recognize them and give them special service.

Not ‘business as usual’

This isn’t business as usual. The ongoing opportunities I have had to be part of discussions and ultimately make decisions that are at times counter-cultural have had a profound effect on me.

Stories of making just choices, going the extra mile, treating employees as partners, emphasizing our interconnectedness instead of untamed individualism, and practicing moderation instead of excess are part of who I am becoming rather than anything I am doing.

Any so-called success I may achieve will always be more attributable to what I am becoming than to what I am doing.

The particular lens that I have been given via my childhood, my faith and my work experience, continues to shape my inner journey.

‘Vocation is a calling’

Parker Palmer in his book Let Your Life Speak says, "Vocation does not mean a goal that I pursue. It means a calling that I hear. Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am."

That thought undergirds my daily work. Truly the integration of work, faith and life has to come from a place of truly knowing who you are. And upon knowing who I am, I can ultimately do and eventually become who God intends for me to be.

Andy Dula, a 1991 91短视频 graduate, is chief financial officer at EG Stoltzfus Construction, Lancaster, Pa. In June 2010 he began a three-year term as 91短视频 board of trustees chair.

Godshall, of Elizabethtown, Pa., handed the gavel to her successor, Andrew (Andy) Dula of Lancaster, Pa., at the close of the two-day sessions.

Susan Godshall passes the gavel to her successor as 91短视频 board chair, Andy Dula. Photo by Jim Bishop

Dula, a 1991 91短视频 graduate, is chief financial officer at EG Stoltzfus Construction, Lancaster, Pa. He will serve a three-year term as board chair.

Godshall, a 1965 91短视频 alumna, joined the board of trustees as a representative from Lancaster Mennonite Conference in November, 1998, and was elected board chair in 2004.

Alumni following Godly path

Godshall opened the meeting with a devotional based on Psalm 78. She told the board that she recently reviewed old trustee minutes and felt as though she was reading “a developing story” that began with the school’s founding in 1917.

“The vision behind the school’s beginning remains much the same today – training young people in the ways of God and of the Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective on Christian service…to live as God’s people in a society that would pulls us in other directions,” Godshall said.

“I am impressed, in reading 91短视频’s ‘Crossroads’ magazine, by seeing the difference that 91短视频 alumni are making as their stories connect with God’s story,” she said.

Board adopts budget, reports funds

In board actions, the trustees adopted a preliminary operating budget with $30.1 million in total revenues for the 2010-11 fiscal year, a 6 percent percent increase over 2009-10.

The budget includes funding of $1.3 million for capital expenditures and debt reduction and $4 million in student scholarship funds and calls for $1.8 in contributions to the University Fund by June 30, 2011.

Gerry Horst, chair of the advancement and enrollment/marketing committee, reported that 91短视频’s University Fund (for annual unrestricted contributions) was running over 6% behind last year’s pace.

“Intensive year-end efforts continue to close the gap by June 30,” Horst said.

Outgoing trustees

Several other trustees concluded terms of service at the June board meeting. In addition to Susan Godshall, the board recognized:

• Steve Brenneman of Nappanee, Ind.
• Shirley Hochstetler of Kidron, Ohio
• Robert Hostetler of Erie, Pa.
• Joan King of Telford, Pa.
• Lillis Troyer of Walnut Creek, Ohio

The 17-member governing body approved a final operating budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year of $28.5 million dollars, a 3.4 percent increase over last year, that includes capital improvement allowances of $985,175 from the operating budget. The fiscal year runs through June 30.

The board adopted a $2.4 million project budget for Phase II of the University Commons, which includes major renovations to the mainstage theater in the former old gymnasium space and a renovated Studio Theater named in honor of the late Lee Eshleman, a 1986 91短视频 art graduate who was half of the “Ted & Lee” playwright-acting duo.

The administration was authorized to proceed with construction when funding commitments reach that figure, projected for the spring of next year.

President reports highest enrollment in a decade

In his report to the trustees, 91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber expressed gratitude for ending the 2008-09 academic year with a balanced operating budget with a substantial margin – a major achievement in a struggling economy, he said – and for the “good enrollment” in undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs this fall, particularly the first-year undergraduate class of 219 students, the highest number in the last 10 years.

Seminary affirmed during reaccreditation

Ervin R. Stutzman, seminary dean, reported on a reaccreditation visit

Ervin R. Stutzman, seminary dean, reported on a reaccreditation visit from an ATS (Association of Theological Schools) team that had just taken place on campus. While EMS is waiting for an official site visit report, Dr. Stutzman noted that the seminary was affirmed for “a clear statement of mission and purpose,” the “flexibility offered to students” in the revised master of divinity degree program, the “integrated relationships” between the seminary and the larger university and the “dedicated faculty and staff.”

“You are clearly better at what you’re doing than what you let on,” the team stated.

Kay Nussbaum of the advancement and enrollment committee of the board, reported that total contributions to date to the university of $1.1 million are up 26 percent over the same period last year. However, unrestricted gifts to the University Fund are down 17 percent over last year. 91短视频 development officials attributed this in part to transitions in the phonathon program, and they are optimistic that the gap “will close substantially” early in the new year.

91短视频 at Lancaster (Pa.)

The board spent considerable time hearing and responding to an update report on a strategic plan for the 91短视频 at Lancaster (PA) extension program from Mark R. Wenger.

Dr. Wenger directs and teaches in 91短视频’s STEP (Study and Training for Effective Pastoral Ministry) program in Lancaster, a course of study designed for pastoral leaders – or those exploring a call – who haven’t had college or Bible school training. Students earn 30 college-level credits studying part time over three years.

Wenger said that STEP “is enhancing relationships in the Lancaster Conference area that were previously resistant to higher education” and that collaboration “is spreading to other Anabaptist-related groups who are exploring the program.” Exploration is also under way to expand the STEP program to other geographic areas in Pennsylvania, Wenger told the board.

Other board business

Ronald L. Piper, vice president for finance, is retiring this year.

* Approved moving ahead on plans for the university to offer a masters in nursing degree with an emphasis on leadership and management. Classes would run in a cohort structure with a distance learning emphasis with many courses offered on line.

* Gave the green light to do renovations to Maplewood and Elmwood residence halls, both completed in 1963 and in need of upgrading, including “going green” with environmentally-friendly features. Work on Maplewood would begin after spring term of 2010 with students temporarily housed in a portion of Roselawn residence hall, followed by renovations to Elmwood.

* Expressed strong appreciation to Ronald L. Piper for his 23 years of outstanding work as vice president for finance at 91短视频. He plans to retire this year; a search process is under way for his successor.

The governing body, meeting Nov. 21-22 on campus, approved a final operating budget of $27.4 million for the 2008-09 fiscal year. The amount marks a slight increase over last year’s operating budget and will enable 91短视频 to continue to uniquely prepare culturally-sensitive students to serve and lead in a complex, inter-connected world.

91短视频 trustee Richard Thomas highlights the work of the academics committee in a report to the full board.

The board approved raising the project budget for the new residence hall that will replace the razed 41-year-old Oakwood facility from $6 million to $6.5 million to reflect higher construction costs and up-front costs related to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification fees.

91短视频 intends to seek silver level LEED certification; this U.S. Green Building Council system sets standards for green building. By investing up front in green building, 91短视频 will see significant savings in energy and water use over the long-term.

91短视频 anticipates the new 120-bed, three-story residence hall will be ready for occupancy the fall of 2009. A web cam has been set up for persons to watch construction progress at www.emu.edu/begreen/new-dorm.

Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement, told the board that “the downturn in the economy and drop in financial markets has affected some donors’ ability to make capital gifts during the quiet phase of 91短视频’s campaign,” Shisler said. “Alumni and friends are still very supportive of 91短视频 and affirm the campaign priorities, and most intend to come through with their all-important gifts to the University Annual Fund,” he added.

(L. to r.): 91短视频 trustees Steve Brenneman, Wilma Bailey, Andy Dula and Diane Zimmerman discuss a finance issue during a small group session. Photos by Jim Bishop

“They (donors) are with us for the long haul,” Shisler said. “We will continue to share the campaign plan and priorities with as many prospective donors as possible so that as the economy improves, 91短视频 will be well-positioned to secure the needed leadership commitments for the campaign – specifically for upgrades and a major addition to the Suter Science Center and Phase II of the University Commons for theater and other programs.”

Phil N. Helmuth, executive director for development, reported that giving to the University Fund is “nearly on track.” While gift amounts have been smaller, the number of alumni donors is “up markedly – to 634 gifts compared to 211 this time last year.”

Susan Godshall, board chair, Andy Dula, chair of the finance and audit committee, and (left) Ron Piper, vice president for finance at 91短视频, confer during a break in the trustee meeting.

The board also heard that student applications are up 30 over the same time last fall, including a significant increase in applications to the highly-selective honors program. In addition, the number of admitted students compared to this time last year is up.

On Friday, three board committees met in a joint session to discuss the challenges of recruiting traditional undergraduate students. “We aren’t looking for huge numbers here,” noted President Loren Swartzendruber.

Overall, 91短视频’s full-time equivalent this fall was slightly up, with significant increases in the Adult Degree Competition Program. But, resident undergrad students were down about 15, a trend seen across the country. “An increase of just 20 to 30 students would really ease budget challenges and round out campus nicely,” said Dr. Swartzendruber.

Oakwood residence hall at 91短视频, beloved by many alumni as an enclave for male pranksters, located on the quad adjacent to Maplewood and Elmwood residences, will be demolished late August. A new 120-room residence hall will replace Oakwood with a projected budget of $6 million.

The 91短视频 board of trustees approved the building plans as part of its June 27-28 meeting on campus.

Oakwood Residence Hall, scheduled for demolition in August 2008. (Photo by Marcy Gineris)

The trustees also authorized staff to renovate Elmwood and Maplewood residence halls – including adding a “link” between the buildings if funding permits – with final approval of plans expected by June 2009.

“Campus housing is important in creating a positive social climate for student learning,” said Ken L. Nafziger, vice president for student life.

“Replacing Oakwood and remodeling or upgrading other residence facilities affords an exciting opportunity to tie these efforts into our campus-wide focus on creation care and sustainability.” One aspect of that: A covered bike storage area sufficient for 64 bicycles.

91短视频 anticipates demolition in August. The exact date is yet to be finalized, but it may include an open house “sleepover” for alumni who want one last night in the “hallowed halls” and a first swing with a sledgehammer the following morning, according to Douglas J. Nyce, director of 91短视频 alumni-parent relations. Read more on the end of Oakwood…

Academic changes

In other business, the board approved a recommendation from the academics committee to combine the undergraduate justice, peace and conflict studies (JPCS) and applied sociology majors into one new major, “peacebuilding and development,” beginning fall 2009.

This 45 semester-hour major provides an Anabaptist-influenced framework for understanding social justice and intentional social change within the context of the fields of peacebuilding and development. By integrating foundational theoretical knowledge, interdisciplinary and experiential learning and skills development, the major prepares students for professional employment (practice) in social justice and social change.

The major embodies 91短视频’s stated mission to live out Anabaptist Christian convictions by following Jesus’ call to ‘witness faithfully, serve compassionately, and walk boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace,'” as called for in 91短视频’s vision statement, which was also updated at this meeting (full newly-adopted statement can be seen at www.emu.edu/president/mission).

The board also approved a recommendation to add a non-profit entrepreneurial management concentration in the master of business administration (MBA) program. A certificate in the same area will also be offered jointly with 91短视频’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP).

“Non-profit management is a natural area for a Mennonite institution,” outgoing Provost Beryl H. Brubaker told the board. “It will bring added value to our program and is of great interest to our CJP students who often leave 91短视频 to manage non-government organizations (NGOs) in the peacebuilding arena.”

Seminary growth in Lancaster, Pa.

Trustee Linford King, chair of the seminary committee, reported that the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) had just given final approval for Eastern Mennonite Seminary to offer the full master of divinity degree (MDiv) degree at 91短视频’s Lancaster, Pa., extension site.

“This is a major step forward to be able to provide this opportunity for theological study for many persons who are unable to move to Harrisonburg,” King said.

Provost retires

Dr. Brubaker was feted at a dinner meeting – that included some former trustees and faculty colleagues – for her “37 years of distinguished service” to the university as a nursing department faculty member and department chair and other administrative roles.

While she is retiring as provost, Brubaker will continue to work part time in coordinating the university’s reaccreditation process for another 10 year period by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

A long-time friend surprised Brubaker by pledging $50,000 to fund the Beryl Hartzler Brubaker Endowed Scholarship for nursing students at 91短视频.

Former 91短视频 president Joseph L. Lapp and his wife, Hannah Mack Lapp, returned to 91短视频 Friday evening, June 23, to see the unveiling of his official presidential portrait. The Lapp portrait will be displayed in the President’s Room on third floor of Hartzler Library, joining those of the previous six presidents since 91短视频 was founded in 1917.

In his remarks prior to the unveiling, current president Loren Swartzendruber credited Lapp with the strength of 91短视频 today.

Swartzendruber noted that his predecessor moved 91短视频 from being an institution serving mainly undergraduates to being a university with five rapidly-growing graduate programs, a growing endowment, several major new facilities, and a peace program – the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding – that is becoming known around the world since its founding 13 years ago.

Swartzendruber’s wife, Pat, credited Hannah Lapp with making hospitality a byword of 91短视频, with the president’s home as “one of the most welcoming centers in the university community.”

Lapp, a 1966 91短视频 graduate, completed 30 years of involvement with 91短视频 on June 30, 2003 – first as a trustee, then as chair of the board and finally serving four terms (16 years) as president. He is now serving as a trust/investment advisor and Mennonite Foundation representative with the Harrisonburg office of Mennonite Mutual Aid.

Lapp was visibly moved by the presence of 130 of his friends, family members and former colleagues at a dinner preceding the unveiling of the portrait. 91短视频’s current board of trustees was present, along with many former trustee members.

Sam Jones, architect with LeRoy Troyer and Associates, offers well wishes to Joseph and Hannah Lapp at the board of trustees portrait unveiling dinner. Photo by Emily Huffman

In remarks after the unveiling, Lapp spoke of wondering if he could measure up to his illustrious predecessors. He expressed gratitude that three of them, John R. Mumaw, Myron S. Augsburger, and Richard C. Detweiler, were alive and able to act as advisers when he took office in 1987.

Update from the Board

In the closing session of their quarterly meeting, the trustees gave their blessings to a preliminary plan, carrying a pricetag of approximately $30 million, to add a wing to the existing Suter Science Center building on Park Road, while renovating the 1960s-era section of the building.

“This is a priority project,”said Swartzendruber. “It is necessary if 91短视频 is to continue to attract and produce top-quality science and health-science majors, including pre-med students who enjoy astonishing rates of acceptance into medical school upon graduation.” For the last two years, 100% of the students who successfully completed 91短视频’s pre-med requirements were accepted into medical schools in the United States.

The building plans hinge, however, on securing “lead gifts” from donors to cover 75 percent of the cost of the project.

The board also authorized the formation of a task force to consider sprucing up the residence halls, making them more attractive for first-year students in particular. Ken L. Nafziger, vice president for student life, noted that many students today are willing to pay a premium for upgraded residences.

Renovations to the residence halls would be done through the university issuing bonds and taking on debt, though Swartzendruber cautioned: “I’m not comfortable borrowing to the hilt of our capacity.”

The board next meets Nov. 9 and 10, 2007.