These 10 headlines drew readers鈥� attention in the past 12 months:

1.

By far the most viewed story of the year, with 15,000 reads and nearly 600 Facebook likes, was President Swartzendruber鈥檚 December reflections on attacks in San Bernardino, Paris, South Carolina, and elsewhere. 鈥淥ur campus community continues to prayerfully discern what the peace position means to us in a world beset by violence,鈥� Swartzendruber said. He called everyone to practice Jesus鈥� command to love one鈥檚 enemies and to engage in dialogue with those who come from different backgrounds, while pledging that 91短视频 would work locally and regionally at Muslim-Christian dialogue and continue to train students and others with world-changing tools and principles.

2. Amish teacher, 98, returns to alma mater

Amos Yoder 鈥�54 waited a long time for this trip. Yoder, who is Amish and lives in Minnesota, spent his career teaching and farming in the Midwest and Great Plains and never returned to Virginia鈥攗ntil daughter Rebecca Barbo brought him to campus last year. A group of former classmates and 91短视频 alumni relations representatives greeted Yoder on his visit. Yoder said the campus looked very different, but he treasured the opportunity to return to a place so important to him, calling his years at then-Eastern Mennonite College 鈥渙ne of the high points of my life.鈥�

3. Jackson and Katie Maust with the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad

Titled “Married alumni couple spends spare time saving lives,” the story of Jackson and Katie (Lehman) Maust was one of the top five most-read of the year. They work as a physical therapist and emergency room nurse, respectively, but spend much time away from work among the ranks of the 160 HRS volunteers (including many other 91短视频 alumni). Katie says it鈥檚 a calling. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a way that we serve God,鈥� she says.

4.

Loren Swartzendruber began the end of an era in April when he announced he would retire at the end of the 2015-2016 academic year. 91短视频鈥檚 eighth president, Swartzendruber will have served for 13 years in the role and 33 years total in Mennonite higher education. A national search for 91短视频鈥檚 next president began in June.

5. The Yutzy family and their dairy’s new solar installation

Sustainability on campus and off are always popular reads. The Yutzy family, which includes several 91短视频 alumni, was featured by the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record for innovations at their Windcrest Holsteins farm in Timberville, Va. This past year the farm鈥檚 barn and milking parlor were covered with nearly 1,800 solar panels. The $1.3 million system, made possible via a grant, tax credits, and depreciation allowances, is expected to pay for itself within five years and eliminate the farm鈥檚 power bill. It is Virginia鈥檚 largest privately owned solar installation.

6. Articles honoring faculty of note and moments of historic importance

As we approach the Centennial celebration of 2017, 91短视频 readers enjoyed and shared articles about former faculty members Abraham Davis, who started what is today Multicultural Student Services, and 鈥�59, who spent a quarter-century teaching at 91短视频 before retiring in 2001.聽 Articles on Park Woods Cabin and the Bard’s Nest, as well as the radio station garnered a good number of hits. The celebrated 25 years in March.

7.听

Good news abounded in 91短视频鈥檚 student numbers in 2015. The incoming traditional undergraduate class included 257 students鈥攗p from an average of 205 in the previous decade and increasing in diversity, as well. Graduate enrollment jumped, with the master鈥檚 in education program showed the most growth. A total of 1,908 students were registered across all 91短视频 programs, including 91短视频 Lancaster, at the beginning of the fall semester.

8.

If you missed Konrad Wert ’01, this photo alone will make you wish you’d caught the show. Wert, performing as the one-man band Possessed by Paul James, returned to 91短视频. His album There Will Be Nights When I鈥檓 Lonely hit No. 12 on the November 2013 Americana/Bluegrass Billboard charts. Wert graduated with a degree in liberal arts and now teaches special education in Texas 鈥� when he’s not on the road.

9. Harrisonburg’s new restorative justice initiative

Restorative justice articles always draw excellent reader numbers, but this article about the new Harrisonburg initiative garnered a record number of hits and Facebook shares. The new program, the first of its kind in Virginia and more than two years in the creation, involved restorative justice practitioners from 91短视频 and James Madison University, Harrisonburg Police Deparetment, representatives of local law practices, the Commonwealth鈥檚 attorney and the Fairfield Center.

10. Any sports story!

91短视频 news blog readers love their sports! There’s always great coverage available at , but sometimes 91短视频 news and your former sports-writer editor can’t resist the urge (with permission from Sports Information Director James De Boer) to “break” a sports story.

Whether finding articles at 91短视频Royals.com or 91短视频 News, sports fans read, like and share them, from profiles of former athletes like pitcher-turned-Mets group sales director Kirk King ’07 to features on athletes in action, such as , Hannah Chappell-Dick and Kat Lehman at the indoor track NCAA championships, and a history-making baseball trio.

The editor’s favorite in this category was coverage of a charity basketball game that resulted in the photo above and the following headline: “Black Student Union fundraiser game pits the (victorious) Streetball Kingz against the hometown Wreckin’ Royals.”

Here’s wishing you happy reading in 2016. Send news tips to editor Lauren Jefferson at lauren.jefferson@emu.edu.

The couple, both 1959 graduates of Eastern Mennonite College, returned after 14 years of missionary work in Africa to make an indelible mark on the vision and goals of the institution.

Shaping the cross-cultural curriculum

Before coming to 91短视频, Shenk taught theology courses at Meserete Kristos College in Ethiopia for 14 years. The couple served with in Ethiopia from 1961 to 1971.

Shenk earned a PhD in religious education from New York University in 1972 and then joined the Bible and religion faculty of 91短视频 four years later.

Both he and his wife were avid scholars. Marie, who earned a master鈥檚 of religion from Eastern Mennonite Seminary in 1998, was an administrative assistant to the academic dean from 1976 to 1990.

The Shenks led their first of four 91短视频 trips in the fall of 1978, taking students to the Middle East. He was among those proponents for making the cross-cultural program integral to 91短视频鈥檚 required curriculum. As a member of 91短视频鈥檚 task force in 1981, Shenk brought a passion for the transformative possibilities of immersion in another culture.

In September 1983, Shenk penned . 鈥淭his kind of education will be both painful and enjoyable,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淭he results will not always be predictable. We will experience anger and exhilaration, depression and vision. But growth will occur, and that is what college is for. Such education will make us better citizens of the global village and better members of God鈥檚 international kingdom, the church.鈥�

Led by his faith, enthusiasm and curiosity

Shenk was named Teacher of the Year in 1982, earning praise for helping change the lives of his students.

Provost Fred Kniss, who benefited from Shenk’s mentorship during his junior year spent on independent study in India (before the cross-cultural program was formalized), says Shenk had 鈥渞emarkable qualities,鈥� including a 鈥済enerous soul.鈥�

鈥淗e was enthusiastically curious about the world around him 鈥� especially about the religious lives and practices of people around the world,鈥� said Kniss. 鈥淗e was a committed Christian who loved engaging with people from other traditions. And he was an effective teacher because he knew how to communicate his enthusiasm and curiosity in ways that were contagious.鈥�

Another on campus who shares these sentiments is Bible and religion professor Linford Stutzman. He was a student of Shenk’s in the early 80s, and since then has led many cross-cultural trips to the Middle East with his wife Janet 鈥� much as the Shenks did together.

Stutzman writes: “It is impossible to list the unique lessons about strong faith and bold humility, courageous mission and cultural sensitivity, unwavering Anabaptist identity and respect for people of all religions, gentle flexibility and stubborn resistance to evil, that Calvin communicated to his students. Whether teaching in the classroom, leading students in the Middle East, speaking in congregations, or writing to people seeking to be faithful and relevant in their witness in the world, Calvin’s life and theology were the same everywhere. Calvin will be remembered with deep appreciation by his students. I will always be grateful for the privilege of being one of them.”

A life of service

Among other roles, Shenk was principal of Nazareth Bible Academy and chair of the Mennonite Board of Education in Ethiopia. He was a member of the overseas committee of the former Mennonite Board of Missions,聽1977-1990.

An expert on Jewish-Christian relations, for eight years during his teaching career at 91短视频, he spent each spring semester in Jerusalem as a research scholar at Tantur Ecumenical Institute.

Shenk wrote several books, including Who Do You Say That I Am? Christians Encounter Other Religions (Herald Press, 1997), and dozens of聽articles.

In 1994 the Shenks began an assignment in Israel and Palestine under Mennonite Board of Missions (a precursor to Mennonite Mission Network), and Mennonite Central Committee. For the next seven years, until 2001, the couple lived six months of every year in Jerusalem, returning to Harrisonburg the remainder of the year where Shenk continued to teach at 91短视频. In 2002, Shenk retired from 91短视频. Marie died in 2010. The Shenks raised three children, all graduates of 91短视频: Doug 鈥�86, Duane 鈥�90 and Donna (Sensenig) 鈥�91.

Visitations will be at 6-8 p.m. 辞苍听Sunday, Sept. 20听补苍诲听补迟 12-1 p.m. 辞苍听Monday, Sept. 21 at聽Park View Mennonite Church. A memorial service will be held, also at the church, at 1 p.m. on Monday, following visitation.

Portions of this article are reprinted from a March 2, 2014 article about Calvin Shenk written by Rachael Keshishian & Bonnie Price Lofton.

Calvin Shenk ’59 does not have to face the existential question of whether he would be willing to die in a nonviolent act to save the life of another person. He would.

The test came in 1985. Shenk and his wife Marie were leading an 91短视频 group that was staying temporarily in a Palestinian community in the Middle East. Shenk heard an argument outside his apartment door and saw an Israeli soldier put his gun in the face of a Palestinian man. He jumped between the two, and urged the men to go their separate ways. They did.

鈥淒on鈥檛 call me brave 鈥� it was just the right thing to do,鈥� insists Shenk. 鈥淲hen you see a rifle pointed at a person right outside your door you don鈥檛 think, you just do it.鈥�

As a member of 91短视频鈥檚 task force in 1981, Shenk brought 14 years of living in Ethiopia and a passion for the transformative possibilities of immersion in another culture.

In September 1983, Shenk penned an essay justifying the cross-cultural requirement for every 91短视频 undergraduate. 鈥淭his kind of education will be both painful and enjoyable,” he wrote. “The results will not always be predictable. We will experience anger and exhilaration, depression and vision.

鈥淏ut growth will occur, and that is what college is for. Such education will make us better citizens of the global village and better members of God鈥檚 international kingdom, the church.鈥� (Read this delightfully readable essay.)

In his 1985 baccalaureate speech, Shenk stressed the importance of losing one鈥檚 narrow-mindedness:

Today many people wrap Christ in an American flag. But we who follow Christ follow him to the world. We are global people. As we experience other cultures our attitudes and values change. This need not be frightening. We develop more world-mindedness and less chauvinism, bigotry and narrow-mindedness 鈥�.

As you develop greater understanding for other cultures, you see your own culture from another perspective. This causes you to both appreciate and critique your culture. You have mixed feelings about our democratic system, educational system, technological development, capitalist consumerism and quest for military supremacy. You have begun to see the back side of our culture 鈥� aggressiveness, depersonalization, arrogance, individualism. It isn鈥檛 possible to feel culturally superior. We can鈥檛 assume that our way is right.

Shenk added that it was 鈥渇alse modesty鈥� to fail to share the good news about Christ. 鈥淲e come to new understandings of Christ as we enter into conversation but it is always consistent with the biblical witness of who Christ is.鈥�

Shenk鈥檚 first cross-cultural experience was teaching Bible and world religions and doing other mission work in Ethiopia under Eastern Mennonite Missions for 14 years. (Marie taught bookkeeping and typing there.)

Shenk earned a PhD in religious education from New York University in 1972 and then joined the Bible and religion faculty of 91短视频 in 1976. Marie ’59, MA ’98 (in religion), was an administrative assistant to the academic dean from 1976 to 1990. The Shenks led their first of four 91短视频 trips in the fall of 1978, taking students to the Middle East.

In 1994 the Shenks began an assignment in Israel and Palestine under Mennonite Board of Missions (a precursor to Mennonite Mission Network), and Mennonite Central Committee. For the next seven years, until 2001, the couple lived six months of every year in Jerusalem, returning to Harrisonburg the remainder of the year where Shenk continued to teach at 91短视频. In 2002, Shenk retired from 91短视频. Marie died in 2010. The Shenks raised three children, all graduates of 91短视频: Doug ’86, Duane ’90 and Donna (Sensenig) ’91.

鈥擱achael Keshishian & Bonnie Price Lofton

A former administrative faculty member at 91短视频 died Sept. 7 at her home in Park Gables of the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community after a long bout with cancer.

Marie H. Leaman Shenk, 72, served as administrative assistant to the academic dean, 1976-1990. She twice served as staff assistant for 91短视频-sponsored cross-cultural tours to the Middle East alongside her husband, Calvin E. Shenk, professor emeritus of religion, who survives.

"Marie’s gifts in administration included the happy combination of superb organizational skills, a keen interest in people, wisdom and steadiness in the midst of knotty problems, and an ability to balance many things at once – making her job look deceptively easy," said Lee Snyder, former 91短视频 academic dean who worked with Shenk in the dean’s office from 1976-82, and again from 1984-90.

"Marie’s international experience and commitment to the church enriched her service at 91短视频 as she and Calvin organized student cross cultural trips and, on occasion, returned for service stints in the Middle East or East Africa," Dr. Snyder added. "I treasure the memory of Marie’s laughter and enjoyment of life."

A native of Lancaster, Pa., Shenk received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a minor in missions from 91短视频 and a master’s in religion degree from Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Calvin and Marie Shenk began mission work in Ethiopia in 1961 under Eastern Mennonite Missions. Marie taught bookkeeping and typing at The Bible Academy in Nazareth and was also bookkeeper for the school.

After her years at 91短视频, the Shenks spent eight semesters in Jerusalem at the Tantur Institute. Marie was passionate about the Israel/Palestine issue and sought opportunities to foster peace and justice.

Shenk was a member of Park View Mennonite Church where she participated in the Shalom and Colloquy Sunday school classes.

Surviving, in addition to her spouse, are two sons, Douglas Shenk of Hummelstown, Pa.; Duane Shenk of Harrisonburg; a daughter, Donna Shenk Sensenig of Goshen, Ind.; nine grandchildren; one brother, M. Hershey Leaman, Lititz, Pa.; two sisters, Evelyn Sweigart, Lititz, and Elizabeth Lehman, Harrison Valley, Pa.; and a sister-in-law, Grace Leaman of Lincoln University, Pa.

Funeral services were scheduled for Sept. 12 at Park View Mennonite Church with pastor Phil Kniss officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Eastern Mennonite Missions, Salunga, Pa.; Mennonite Mission Network, Elkhart, Ind.; or Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, Pa.