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!

Perhaps the greatest love in his life鈥攐ther than his wife, Frances, and their children鈥攚as aviation. Hartman, an instrument-rated pilot since 1959, managed a small airfield east of Charlottesville in the 1960s. He enjoyed flying through the skies above his home 鈥渓ow and slow鈥� in his 1966 Cessna 172, recalled his friend and legal adviser Marshall Yoder. Hartman delighted in taking his family on his flights and seeing the scenery from a fresh perspective.

鈥淟en was a skilled pilot,鈥� Yoder said. 鈥淗e would float down and there would barely be a 鈥榯hump鈥� when he鈥檇 land.鈥�

As he entered his 90s, Hartman stopped flying his plane as often and began talking to Yoder about parting with it. He wanted to leave it in the right hands, where it could do the most good. But, he hadn鈥檛 yet found the right cause.

When Yoder told him about the burgeoning aviation program at 91短视频 Lancaster and how his plane could greatly impact the next generation of pilots, Hartman found his answer. Before his death in February 2022, Hartman ensured that his beloved Cessna, as well as 25 percent of his estate, would be gifted to 91短视频. Because the gift was unrestricted, the university and its advancement division could decide how best to use it.

鈥淟en knew there was a worldwide shortage of pilots, and he knew there would always be people interested in flight,鈥� said Braydon Hoover, who worked with Hartman and Yoder on establishing the endowment. 鈥淎nd so, to honor his memory, we decided to put it all into a scholarship named after him.鈥�

The J. Leonard 鈥淟en鈥� Hartman Scholarship for Aviation will provide more than $17,000 in funds each year, starting in fall 2025, for aviation students at 91短视频 Lancaster who demonstrate financial need.

The Hartman endowment totals about $345,000, which includes $20,000 from the sale of the Cessna. Hartman鈥檚 gift will help 91短视频 live into its vision of opening new pathways of access and achievement, a vision outlined in the university鈥檚 2023-28 strategic plan, Pathways of Promise: Preparing Tomorrow鈥檚 Unifying Leaders.

鈥淚t has quickly become one of our larger named endowed scholarships,鈥� Hoover said, 鈥渇or one of the fastest growing programs at 91短视频.鈥�

You can contribute to scholarships for future aviators at 91短视频 by donating online at and typing 鈥淛. Leonard Hartman Aviation Scholarship鈥� or 鈥淪cholarship for Aviation鈥� into the text field. Contact kirk.shisler@emu.edu for more details on how to support this worthy cause.

John Sibole, director of aviation at 91短视频 Lancaster, said the scholarships will allow the program to further diversify its student body and recruit students from new areas.

鈥淲e at 91短视频 Lancaster would like to express our sincere gratitude for the implementation of the Len Hartman scholarship fund for our aviation students,鈥� Sibole said.

鈥淭he flight training component of their education is expensive, and these scholarships, which will be awarded in part on a needs basis, will provide new pathways of access into the aviation profession for underserved young people,鈥� he added.

91短视频鈥檚 aviation program soars

Word is spreading throughout the aviation industry about the strength of 91短视频鈥檚 program and the quality of its graduates. As a result, the 91短视频 aviation program continues to grow in popularity. The program, which began in 2018 with five students, will welcome 24 students this upcoming semester鈥攊ts largest cohort yet. Current enrollment in the program is at 49 students. A total of 21 students, in three cohorts so far, have graduated from the program to date.

Students enrolled in the four-year Leadership and Organizational Management (LOM) major with an aviation concentration earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree and the FAA credentials they need to become professional pilots. Students are paired with flight instructors though 91短视频鈥檚 flight training partner at the Lancaster Airport in Lititz, Pennsylvania. While the program provides at least 270 hours of flight time, many students earn up to 1,000 hours by the time they graduate, said Sibole, noting that nearly 100 percent of their students find jobs within their first year of graduating.

One of the benefits of an aviation program the size of 91短视频鈥檚 is that students are given guaranteed weekly flight training slots with access to aircraft and an instructor. That鈥檚 something, Sibole said, that isn鈥檛 available at a lot of larger schools.

It鈥檚 a major reason Will Stover, a third-year aviation student, chose to attend 91短视频.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to be flying pretty much from day one,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd you have guaranteed flight slots, so there鈥檚 no question you鈥檒l be flying and you鈥檒l be flying regularly.鈥�

When students enter their senior year, they are required to complete a supervised internship with an established aviation organization for a full semester. For many aviation graduates, those internships translate into full-time careers.

During her senior year, Ivy Kreiser, a member of the program鈥檚 first cohort, interned at , a private charter and aviation services company in Lancaster. She landed a job there after graduating in 2022 and now works there as a second-in-command.

Becoming a pilot can be expensive. The affordability of 91短视频鈥檚 aviation program, compared to other schools, was a big draw for her.

鈥淭he 91短视频 program is great because you鈥檙e going to get the education you need, the experience you need, and the flight schools you need,鈥� Kreiser said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to meet with professors who will give you the connections you鈥檙e hoping for and that you want. And you鈥檙e not going to spend as much money as some of the other big programs out there.鈥�

Hartman leaves a legacy

In addition to donating to 91短视频, Hartman gifted parts of his estate to a library, school, retirement home and church, Yoder said.

The attorney fondly recalls spending afternoons on Hartman鈥檚 front porch, talking about everything from politics and religion to Virginia Tech basketball.

鈥淗e was such a decent, nice person,鈥� Yoder said. 鈥淚 miss being able to talk to him. But I think he would be really happy knowing where his bequest is going.鈥�

For more information about 91短视频鈥檚 aviation program, visit:

For 26 years, the sound of Vira Hershberger鈥檚 knife slicing through heads of lettuce was a familiar and comforting rhythm in the dining hall kitchen of 91短视频 (then known as Eastern Mennonite College). From 1970 to 1996, Hershberger dedicated herself each day to arranging the salad bar and greeting everyone she met with warmth and friendliness. Today, her legacy of humble service and love continues through a memorial endowment in her honor.

Former dining hall manager Marilyn Schlabach 鈥�65, who worked alongside Hershberger for 15 years, recalls the indelible impact she had on everyone around her. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I ever heard her complain,鈥� Schlabach said. 鈥淪he had a heart of service.鈥� Schlabach, who was Hershberger鈥檚 supervisor from 1986 to 1994, remembers her as a model employee: self-motivated, warm and endlessly dedicated.

鈥淚 had the hardest time during my annual evaluations coming up with anything for her to improve on,鈥� Schlabach said.

Hershberger arrived at work each morning, before she was scheduled, to get organized and prepared for the day. If she felt like she wasn鈥檛 finished at the end of her shift, she would clock out and keep working until she was satisfied. 

Her daughter, Joann Henderson MA ’07 (counseling), recalls her mother鈥檚 joy in her work. 鈥淪he had a great deal of pride in her salad bar,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was immaculate and always fresh.鈥� 

Her son, Larry Hershberger, also noted the love she had for her job in dining services. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think she ever missed a day of work in those 26 years,鈥� he said. 

Vira Hershberger鈥檚 dedication to service extended beyond her job at 91短视频. Even after retiring at 74, she continued to volunteer at Gift and Thrift and attend Park View Mennonite Church as an active member. Her children remember her constant activity and desire for productivity.

鈥淪he often told us she wished she could still be working,鈥� Henderson said. 鈥淪he loved working, and she loved working at 91短视频.鈥�

“I don’t know how many times she said to me during those years, ‘Oh, Larry, I don’t know why I retired when I did,'” her son recalled.

In November 2022, she passed away at the age of 100, but her legacy lives on through the Vira Miller Hershberger Memorial Endowment to Support Food Service.

Established by Larry Hershberger and his three siblings on behalf of the family, the endowment honors her lifelong service by providing annual support for 91短视频 dining services. It will help to fund the maintenance of dining facilities, replacement of kitchen equipment, staffing support and other essential needs.

鈥淚 love that we get to honor her and her work, as well as the work of all those people behind the scenes who often don鈥檛 get recognition,鈥� Henderson said. 

“We believe it’s something mom would’ve wanted us to do,” Larry Hershberger added.

Kirk Shisler 鈥�81, vice president for Advancement at 91短视频, highlighted the significance of the Hershberger family鈥檚 gift. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 special about this is that it illuminates the life and legacy of their beloved mother,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd, because it鈥檚 an endowment, it will have a sustained impact in supporting 91短视频 food services, especially kitchen operations, for many years to come.鈥�

A PhD in humility, love and service

She was born Vira Gladys Miller in Wellman, Iowa, in 1922 in a family of five brothers and two sisters. Growing up during the Great Depression, she left home at 17 to work as a housekeeper for the superintendent of Lancaster City Schools in Pennsylvania, supporting her family with her earnings. Despite having an eighth grade education, her intelligence and strong work ethic helped her excel at various roles, including as a clerk in the general store in Frytown, Iowa, where she met her husband Reaford Hershberger.

鈥淪he was always about serving others,鈥� Henderson said. 鈥淚f my mom had a PhD, it would be in humility, love and service.鈥�

In 1969, Myron Augsburger, president of 91短视频 at the time and a friend of the Hershbergers, offered Reaford Hershberger a job heading the buildings and grounds on campus. He accepted the offer, and the family moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia. Vira Hershberger was soon hired as a salad cook in the dining hall, where she worked until her retirement. 

At Vira Hershberger’s retirement ceremony in 1996, Schlabach reflected on the countless heads of lettuce she must have chopped over her 26 years of service 鈥� an estimated tens of thousands. But beyond the numbers, she is remembered for her unwavering humility, her deep faith and her genuine love for others.

鈥淪he was always smiling,鈥� Larry Hershberger said. 鈥淗er disposition was always effervescent and happy. Even when she was not doing so well, she always had a positive outlook and never complained.鈥�

Vira Hershberger found joy in life鈥檚 simple pleasures, from the beauty of nature to a cold glass of water on a hot day. 鈥淪he taught us that the little things in life always have meaning,鈥� Henderson said. 鈥淪he was a quiet, humble woman of deep faith who exhibited love and service and, to me, is the epitome of Christ鈥檚 love.鈥�

Learn more about endowments and grants at 91短视频 here.

Samuel and Helen Weaver lived to serve others. They gave generously of their time to the churches they attended and the communities they were a part of in St. Clairsville, Ohio, and later Harrisonburg, Virginia. Helen, known to many as an excellent cook, arrived early to church gatherings to prepare meals. Afterward, she and her husband Samuel stayed late to stack chairs and wash dishes.

For more than a decade, the couple volunteered at Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit fair-trade shop in Harrisonburg. While Helen worked inside the store, Samuel lent his accounting skills to the business. 

鈥淪ervice was always a big part of their lives, recalls their son, Matt Weaver, “and often, that service wasn鈥檛 anything glamorous or anything they mentioned to other people. It was them doing the most trivial jobs that other people didn鈥檛 want to do. But, they did it because that鈥檚 the kind of people they were.鈥�

Helen and Samuel died in July 2012 and February 2023, respectively, but their legacy of service and generosity lives on. A $1.54 million bequest to establish the Samuel H. and Helen W. Weaver Family Peacebuilding Endowment will go a long way in supporting the vision and mission of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. It ranks among the top five largest endowment gifts to 91短视频 in its 106-year history.

Although they did not attend 91短视频, Samuel and Helen were staunch supporters of its students and programs. They were members of Park View Mennonite Church and had close friends in the 91短视频 community, such as Wendy Lederach and Don and Margaret Foth. Don, an administrator emeritus at 91短视频, volunteered at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) in his retirement. He died on March 27.

Because of those connections, said CJP Advancement Director Lindsay Martin, Samuel and Helen were aware of CJP from its very beginning. The Foths would have shared many stories of CJP students, especially those coming from other parts of the world, with Samuel and Helen, she said.

“I think Sam connected with those stories and CJP’s global emphasis, particularly because of his own experiences working in other countries,” Martin said. “He saw CJP as an example of a global community, one with people working toward the greater good of all鈥攁nd I think that matched his worldview closely.” 

After Helen鈥檚 death at age 82, Samuel continued to support 91短视频 and its justice and peacebuilding efforts. In 2019, he established a $50,000 endowed scholarship fund that provides need-based financial support to students in the graduate program at CJP. Samuel died at age 92 following a battle with cancer, but not before finalizing the endowment funding plan with his two sons, Mike and Matt, and ensuring CJP was included in his estate plans.

Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement at 91短视频, said the endowment will fund academic programs, training initiatives, faculty and other creative endeavors at CJP.

鈥淭he Weavers鈥� gift is so incredibly timely as it will sustain CJP faculty and program investments, including a full-time faculty position in restorative justice and a new program director role, for which a search is now underway,” shared Shisler.

David Brubaker, dean of the School of Social Sciences and Professions (which includes CJP), said the endowment will support existing academic and training programs as well as help to fund “new creative initiatives needed in an increasingly polarized and traumatized world.”

91短视频 President Susan Schultz Huxman said the gift will have a profoundly beneficial impact on CJP, especially as it continues to adapt to the changing landscape of justice and peacebuilding needs across the globe.

鈥淪amuel and Helen Weaver鈥檚 encounter with CJP students and program leaders ignited their vision for the transformative power of justice and peacebuilding on a global scale,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are truly grateful and heartened by their generosity.鈥�

Early life and career

Samuel Horton Weaver was born in May 1930 in Champaign, Illinois. He received a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history from Cambridge University, a master鈥檚 degree in history from Columbia University, a doctorate in American history from American University in Washington, D.C., and a master鈥檚 degree in business administration from Ohio University. Much of his early career was spent working for the U.S. government, including for the Library of Congress in D.C. He started working for the U.S. Foreign Service in 1955 and was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador from 1958 to 1960 and in Brazil from 1961 to 1963. He then worked in the Latin American section of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the U.S. State Department.

Born Helen Esther Wiens in Inman, Kansas, in May 1930, she was raised in a Mennonite family. She worked for Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, Pennsylvania, and for the National Service Board for Religious Objectors in D.C.

Samuel and Helen met in D.C. and married in March 1967. They moved to St. Clairsville, a city about 70 miles west of Pittsburgh where Samuel taught at Ohio University鈥檚 Eastern Campus and Helen worked at the Belmont County Health Department. In their retirement the couple moved to Harrisonburg, partly due to its proximity to D.C. and because of some close friends who lived there. From his time spent around the 91短视频 community, Samuel developed an appreciation and respect for Mennonites. Matt Weaver said his father shared many of the same core values as Mennonites and believed in the mission of CJP.

鈥淗e liked the idea of giving to an organization that does some good,鈥� said Matt Weaver.

Samuel and Helen were members of the , a group of more than 630 alumni and donors who include 91短视频 in their estate plans. In April 2022, Samuel and his sons finalized their endowment funding plan with 91短视频 Advancement. Shisler said the Weaver family was impressed by the impact of their scholarship fund established a few years prior. 

鈥淭hey were instilled with a level of confidence that an estate commitment of this magnitude would be well-managed and have a sustained impact,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 truly a remarkable and beautiful legacy.”

Learn more about the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and give to the program at . 

Total contributions were $5,627,312, up $744,555 from fiscal year 2010.

“We are pleased that giving to the University Fund has remained strong, even as donors聽have begun making significant聽capital commitments to our campaign for the new Suter Science Complex,” said Dr.聽Fred Kniss, provost and acting president of 91短视频.聽“We are also quite fortunate to have an especially loyal core group of alumni and donors who persisted with steadfast support amidst continuing softness in the economy,” Kniss added.

Contributions to the University Fund totaled $1,818,000, an increase聽of nearly聽two percent聽over last year. 91短视频’s University Fund provides annual operating support for the institution as well as merit and need-based financial aid to students.

According to Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement, 91短视频 received several substantial聽gifts that made the difference in total giving for the fiscal year. “We successfully completed a聽$2.5聽million theater and fine arts campaign.聽聽Over $520,000聽of these funds were received during the year.聽 This includes聽naming gifts for a new studio theater,聽art gallery and advanced media lab,” said Shisler.

Several聽substantial聽contributions were also received in support of a campaign to raise funds for a new science facility at 91短视频. “We are in the聽early phases of fundraising, and anticipate that several years of intensive effort will be required to reach our goal for this major project,” said Shisler.

It was also a strong year for bequests at 91短视频.聽 Gifts from the estates聽of 19 donors聽 amounted to nearly $1.1 million, an increase of 57 percent over聽the previous year.

“We are very grateful for the continued strong support for 91短视频 in the midst of difficult economic times.聽 We view this as an affirmation of the importance of our university’s mission,” said Kniss.

Total contributions to 91短视频, including restricted gifts and grants, totaled $4,857,757 compared with $6,194,442 in 2009.

"The decrease in total giving is largely due to a windfall bequest of $1 million 91短视频 received last year," noted 91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber. noted.

"In recent years, total philanthropic support has hovered around $5 million per year, so this past year has been more typical in that regard. Overall, it was a good year for 91短视频, especially given the continued softness of the economy," the president said.

Over $3 million in restricted gifts and bequests was contributed in support of special projects in both the undergraduate and graduate programs as well as for endowment.

According to Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement, 91短视频 received several substantial gifts that made the difference in total giving for the fiscal year.

"We successfully completed a $2.4 million theater and fine arts campaign with nearly $500,000 of these funds received during the 2009-10 fiscal year. This includes $146,000 that was contributed to establish a studio theater in memory of 91短视频 alumnus Lee Eshleman," Shisler reported.

91短视频’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) was the recipient of several large grants this past year, including $200,000 in special project support from the Kellogg Foundation for the ", a program focused on racial reconciliation among descendants of slaves and slave owners.

91短视频’s endowment fund also received a boost in new contributions of $667,000 during the year. Scholarship support for business and science students were among several program areas that benefited from these new contributions to the endowment fund.

"We are extremely grateful for the widespread support 91短视频 received in what has been a very challenging economic environment for fundraising," Swartzendruber said.

By Heather Bowser, Daily News-Record

Most private schools have endured a tough year financially, but 91短视频 has bucked that trend, officials there say. The Harrisonburg university remains “financially healthy,” recently passing a budget 3.4 percent larger than last year’s, 91短视频 administrators said Tuesday.

The school’s 17-member board of trustees approved a $28.5 million spending plan for fiscal 2010, a figure that’s $952,000 more than in the 2009 budget.

91短视频 recently approved a $28.5 million budget plus a capital renovation plan that includes the overhaul of the Mainstage Theater and other sites in the University Commons building at a cost of $2.4 million. Photo by Nikki Fox

The increase was primarily driven by enrolling 84 more full-time students than in 2009, said Ron Piper, 91短视频’s vice president of finance. This year, 1,243 full-time students are enrolled at the university.

Also, nine more students are paying to live in dorms this year, which generates additional revenue, Piper said. With those two contributing factors, 91短视频 was able to fill three non-teaching full-time positions previously left vacant.

In addition to approving the budget, university officials also adopted a $2.4 million spending plan to renovate the Mainstage Theater and other sites throughout the University Commons building.

91短视频 is planning on renovating parts of the University Commons building, including the Mainstage Theater. Photo by Nikki Fox

“91短视频 is doing moderately well in a challenging economic environment,” said Kirk Shisler, 91短视频 vice president for advancement. “We are optimistic that we will be close to our fundraising targets.”

By The Numbers

Here’s a quick wrap-up of budget and money matters decided by 91短视频’s trustees and provided to the Daily News-Record on Tuesday by Piper.

Faculty, staff and “friends of the university” contributed $131,000 for “emergency student aid.” The fund was created to make up for a drop in scholarships from endowment investments. While total giving to the university is up 18 percent year to date, alumni giving to the annual fund is off 8 percent.

91短视频’s new budget allocated $6,500 more in funding – up from $35,500 last year to $42,000 – to increase student counseling services.

Money for capital projects is down from last year’s $730,000 by about 42 percent to $420,300.

Renovation projects include a $120,000 job in the library building to create a new classroom for the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. That project will change the facade of the building slightly on the east and north by adding windows on the lower level.

91短视频’s board also authorized the administration to borrow $6 million to renovate Elmwood and Maplewood residence halls. Those projects are expected to start this summer and be completed by January 2011 and June 2011, respectively.

“We are extremely grateful for the widespread support 91短视频 received in what has been a very challenging economic environment for fundraising,” said 91短视频 president Loren Swartzendruber.

Gifts to 91短视频’s annual fund – known as the University Fund – totaled $1.73 million compared with $1.85 million in 2008 for a decline of 6.9% in unrestricted support. “The shortfall in annual giving is cause for some concern,” said Dr. Swartzendruber. “However, given the larger picture it is very understandable. A number of our alumni and donor friends have experienced economic hardship, and so naturally some have felt compelled to reduce their support.”

In a show of support for 91短视频 students, 126 faculty and staff made extra contributions during the year to help offset some of the losses in endowment revenue. Together with some 60 alumni and trustees, $128,000 was given and pledged to establish an Emergency Student Aid Fund. Proceeds from this fund will be awarded as financial aid to students during the 2009-10 academic year.

In the area of designated gifts and grants, 91短视频 had one of its best years in the past decade. Nearly $3.4 million was contributed in support of special projects in both the undergraduate and graduate programs as well as for endowment.

According to Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement, 91短视频 received several substantial gifts that made the difference in total giving for the fiscal year. “A gift of $971,000 from the estate of Dr. Paul Hill of Virginia was the single largest gift to 91短视频 this past year,” Shisler said, noting that the Hill gift will support 91短视频’s endowment fund as well as provide financial aid to pre-med students in 91短视频’s science program.

91短视频’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) received nearly $800,000 in special project support from a variety of sources, including Church World Service, Fetzer Institute, Kellogg Foundation, The Ploughshares Fund and Compton Foundation. Substantial grants were made to other 91短视频 programs as well, including an award of $132,000 from The Virginia College Fund and $117,000 for 91短视频’s nursing program from the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation.

Additional restricted gifts and grants in the $25,000 to $50,000 range benefited 91短视频’s music and scholarship programs as well as two new programs at Eastern Mennonite Seminary to provide online instruction and an Hispanic studies initiative.

“It is a special privilege to walk with our students as we prepare them to serve and lead in a global context,” Swartzendruber said. “Our mission simply could not be fulfilled without the involvement of those who are excited about what our graduates are doing all over the world.”

91短视频 received a record $1.48 million for the University Fund, an eight percent increase over last year’s unrestricted giving. The amount included $365,000 to Eastern Mennonite Seminary, also a new record. The University Fund contributions goal was $1.43 million for the year.

The University Fund helps provide financial assistance to students and assists with technology upgrades and other annual operating expenses.

Alumni giving to the University Fund showed the largest increase, coming in at 18 percent above last year.

Carol S. Lown, University Fund director, attributed the increase in giving to “a generous response from alumni and friends to this year’s campaign, which was a major focus of development efforts by the president and regional development directors.”

Restricted giving to 91短视频 was $2,765,961 million compared to $2,261,170 in 2002-2003, excluding a $2 million Lilly Endowment grant received last year. Restricted gifts include donations to the University Commons, direct scholarships to students and special programs such as the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, the Conflict Transformation Program and radio station WEMC-FM.

Direct contributions to the Conflict Transformation Program set a new record at $60,746, as did the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival with $55,284.

Contributions to university endowments increased by 50 percent over last year to $679,530.

The Lisa Haverstick Memorial Nursing Laboratory, a new initiative being established in 91短视频’s nursing department in memory of a 1991 nursing graduate who died in May of 2003, stands at $109,778.

This remarkable outcome is a real tribute to all of our donors and to the hard work done by the entire advancement staff at 91短视频,” said President Loren E. Swartzendruber. “I’m also grateful to Beryl H. Brubaker for her special efforts to solicit commitments during her months as interim president, to dean Ervin R. Stutzman for his efforts on behalf of Eastern Mennonite Seminary and to Richard L. Gunden, vice president for advancement. This was the result of a team effort.

“Initial indications are that we should finish the fiscal year with a surplus; all major revenue sources came in at or above budgeted amounts,” the president said.

“We are very grateful for the generosity of so many 91短视频 alumni and friends. These record contributions to the University Fund enable 91短视频 to provide a superb academic and spiritual environment for all of our undergraduate, graduate, and seminary students,” Swartzendruber added.