Genesis Figueroa Archives - 91��Ƶ News

Ceremony honors 2026 Cords of Distinction recipients

Ryan Cornell with photos by Jon Styer/At Ease Design & Consulting — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:01:49 +0000

Ten graduating 91��Ƶ seniors were honored as Cords of Distinction recipients at a ceremony on Friday, April 24, in Martin Chapel.

As one of the university’s most valued, cherished, and meaningful awards given each year, the Cords of Distinction honor recognizes those who have positively influenced on-campus communities, actively pursued 91��Ƶ values, engaged in and valued social and community involvement, and reflected academic excellence and social accountability. Recipients of the award are nominated by faculty, staff, administrators, and students and are chosen by the Cords of Distinction selection committee.

“These students participate in high levels of engagement outside of classes and recognize the importance of the social and civic aspects of engaging in the local community,” said Celeste Thomas, director of Multicultural Student Services, CoachLink coach, and co-chair of the Cords of Distinction committee. “They embody ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ They have chosen to make the community better than when they entered it, and we thank you all for that.”

The 10 recipients were presented with blue and gold cords to wear at Commencement, which will be held Sunday, May 3, 2026.

They are:

Sophia Armato
Irais Barrera Pinzon
Leah Beachy
Leah Frankenfield
Genesis Figueroa
Arelys Martinez Fabian
Dibora Mekonnen
Sarah Prroj
Roumany Sefin
Emily Suarez Nunez

Click each recipient’s name above to jump to their section.

Sophia Armato

A Spanish language & Hispanic studies and education (PreK-12) licensure major from Manheim, Pennsylvania, she was honored by Sydney Metz, head field hockey coach.

Armato embodies what it means to be a Royal, choosing excellence in the classroom, dedicating hours of service to others, and living out her faith by loving like Jesus, her coach said. She has also raised the standard of integrity within 91��Ƶ’s athletic community, Metz said, recalling a conversation they shared about the culture they hoped to build for the field hockey program.

“Our program was in a fragile place, and even one wrong move could set us back further,” Metz said. “But in that conversation, we also talked about what it means to do the right thing, even when it’s difficult. … You showed a willingness to lean into this challenge, to start a standard, and to grow in every area of your college experience.”

Metz said that Armato has made the most of her 91��Ƶ experience. “You could find ‘Soph’ coming to practice after a long day of student teaching, then leaving practice to help others understand a Spanish conversation,” she said. “She would end her evening working at home on projects for her small business, continuing her homework, only to wake up early to serve coffee at Common Grounds. And through it all, she was living out her faith daily.”

Irais Barrera Pinzon

A political science and Spanish language & Hispanic studies major from Richmond, Virginia, she was honored by Celeste Thomas, director of Multicultural Student Services.

The first time Thomas met Pinzon, she knew immediately the student would change the tapestry of 91��Ƶ.

Pinzon, with her infectious smile, high energy, and “urgency to get down to business,” motivates those around her to “get on board and, not just say something, but do something,” Thomas said. “You exude kindness toward everyone and have a genuine concern for the well-being of others. You are always seeking ways to make the world a better place, and when you set out to do something, you do not stop until you reach the goal.”

That was especially evident in the menstrual hygiene project she led, securing a $1,200 grant and installing 10 dispensers across campus, Thomas said. Pinzon also served on the board of the Latinx Student Alliance (LSA), fed the unhoused, and participated in the International Food Festival, the Latino student banquet, and Hispanic Heritage Month events.

“Being a first-generation immigrant college student with your own challenges, you were able to look beyond your own needs and assist others who may be less fortunate,” Thomas said. “You shared that your goal was to inspire other first-generation Latino students to keep dreaming by showing them that no goal is too big.”

Leah Beachy

A nursing major from Salem, Oregon, she was honored by Dr. Kate Clark, associate professor of nursing.

Beachy represents the very best of what it means to be both a nurse and a servant leader. She demonstrates keen intellect, discipline, perseverance, and a deep sense of purpose. “But what makes Leah truly exceptional goes beyond academics,” Clark said.

During her four years on the women’s soccer team, Beachy exemplified courageous leadership, advocating for change, gathering teammate feedback, engaging administrators, and pursuing solutions grounded in accountability, Clark said. As senior captain, she helped rebuild trust and integrity within the program, contributing to one of its strongest seasons both competitively and culturally.

Through 91��Ƶ’s nursing program, Beachy learned to unite clinical excellence with justice-oriented patient care, seeing health care not just as treatment, but as a pursuit of dignity, equity, and compassion. Shaped by her intercultural experiences in Guatemala and Mexico, she helped facilitate a trauma-informed support group at Our Community Place for individuals recently rehoused after homelessness.

“And yet, even with all these accomplishments, Leah is most known for her warmth, her authenticity, and her limitless joy,” Clark said. “Whether serving as a tour guide, an ambassador for 91��Ƶ, or simply showing up for others, she builds community wherever she goes and has a lot of fun doing it.”

Leah Frankenfield

A psychology major from Moraga, California, she was honored by Annalise Livingston, project coordinator for Royal RISE.

Frankenfield has been involved in just about every part of campus, always making an effort to connect with and support others, Livingston said.

“You are one of the most compassionate, driven, and engaged people I know, and your persistent dedication to caring for and including those around you is wildly inspiring,” she said. “Your determination to ensure that everyone feels they belong and have a safe space to be themselves, drawn from your own experience and vulnerability, shines through in your many involvements across campus.”

Through her leadership across various clubs and organizations, including Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA), University Women’s Empowerment Network (UWEN), Student Government Association, and Royal RISE, the senior psychology major—who will join 91��Ƶ’s graduate counseling program this fall—planned programs and events to create welcoming environments and encourage connection.

Frankenfield also served as a TA and peer tutor, ensuring students felt seen and supported. She’s provided students with a warm, friendly presence through her work at Common Grounds, the dining hall, the advancement and admissions offices, the library, and beyond. “You embody authenticity and humility,” Livingston said, “managing your hectic schedule in a semi-baffling way that leaves everyone around you wondering how on earth you do it all.”

Genesis Figueroa

A political science and Spanish language & Hispanic studies major from Millersburg, Ohio, she was honored by Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus.

From her first day on campus, Figueroa has shown up consistently and with care, Dycus said.

As a conversation partner with the Spanish community and through her leadership roles—first as a senator, then secretary, and eventually co-president—Figueroa has shaped 91��Ƶ in ways both visible and deeply felt, building connection and belonging across campus. Those roles require navigating complexity, listening deeply, and representing others with integrity, Dycus said, and Figueroa has carried them with a steady, grounded presence.

“What stands out most is not just what you’ve done, but how you’ve done it,” she said. “Again and again, people describe you as someone who listens deeply, brings warmth, and helps others feel seen. That kind of leadership shapes culture. That’s what you’ve done for 91��Ƶ.”

Figueroa carried that spirit into the Latinx Student Alliance, as president of Young Democrats, and as a senior class officer, helping others learn together.

“One nominator said it best: ‘Genesis rises to any occasion, leading with initiative, creativity, awareness, and a deep commitment to collective learning and action,’” Dycus said. “Alongside it all, you remain committed to your academic work, bringing discipline, focus, and purpose as a political science and Spanish major, as well as engagement with immigrant communities in Harrisonburg.”

Arelys Martinez Fabian

A Spanish language & Hispanic studies and education (PreK-12) licensure major from Winchester, Virginia, she was honored by M. Esther Showalter, instructor of Spanish language and Hispanic studies.

In a fast-paced world, Martinez Fabian knows when to pause and be fully present with others, actively listening and walking alongside those in need, Showalter said.

During Martinez Fabian’s first year at 91��Ƶ, Showalter’s childhood best friend unexpectedly passed away. In the midst of that loss, the student came to her office to offer support. She brought a small houseplant to honor her friend, and over the years, it has grown from a foot tall to four feet high. “It is by far my healthiest plant,” Showalter said. “Many people comment on how great it looks, and I tell them the story of my friend and how you, Arelys, have comforted me in my time of need, as you have for so many others.”

Along with Figueroa, Martinez Fabian served as co-president of the Student Government Association, becoming the first Latinx women in that role. She led with heart and humanity, Showalter said, strengthening communication between students and administrators and ensuring student voices shaped key campus decisions. Her leadership also increased involvement from underrepresented students, contributing to a more inclusive and engaged campus culture.

“Arelys has lived the 91��Ƶ experience to its fullest,” Showalter said. “She is an inspiring leader, a curious learner, and an empathetic friend.”

Dibora Mekonnen

A political science and social work major from Silver Spring, Maryland, she was honored by Deanna Durham, associate professor of social work and sociology.

Whether leading the social work student organization, the Young Democrats, or the University Women’s Empowerment Network (UWEN), or serving as a Community Advisor, hall director, dialogue facilitator, student chaplain, or development office assistant, Mekonnen has consistently worked toward a vision of 91��Ƶ at its best. She has also been involved with the Campus Activities Council, Student Government Association, and the 91��Ƶ Washington Semester. “Over the past four years,” Durham said, “is there anything you did not say ‘yes’ to?”

Mekonnen’s leadership and deep commitment to building a more inclusive and welcoming university have touched every corner, building, and space on campus, Durham said. This past semester, that impact extended into the local community through her senior social work practicum, where she worked with Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed. “You are a multitasker extraordinaire,” Durham told Mekonnen. “Your ability not only to generate ideas but also to bring others along with you is impressive. You have embodied the belief that we are always better together.”

As hall director of Elmwood, Mekonnen fostered a community grounded in inclusion, social awareness, and belonging, Durham said. “You have pushed for change on campus and have never remained silent when there was potential for harm to another student.”

Sarah Prroj

A business administration major from Shkoder, Albania, she was honored by Tyler Goss, director of student engagement and leadership development.

Goss remembers his first interaction with Prroj. The International Student Organization (ISO) was preparing for its popular International Food Festival. Dozens of cooks would soon gather on Thomas Plaza, and he and other volunteers were setting up decorations, including more than 50 flagpoles. Each flag came with its own challenge, Goss said, noting the political significance of their placement.

“In the midst of all that chaos and decision-making, there was Sarah, a first-year student, stepping up, directing, delegating, and leading with confidence and ease,” Goss said. “That moment was just the beginning.”

The Albanian international student dedicated her four years at 91��Ƶ to the ISO, but her impact extends beyond that community. She served as a Community Advisor and Royal Ambassador and led the Good Business Gathering Club. At Common Grounds, she began as a barista and became its financial manager. She also served as student government treasurer. Away from campus, she volunteered at Young Life camp and shared her story at the Perspectives of World Missions Conference.

“From ISO president to community volunteer to SGA treasurer, and all the hours of Common Grounds’ financial tasks in between, Sarah leads every space with dependability, vision, and a deep desire to help each community flourish,” Goss said.

Roumany Sefin

A business administration and medical lab science major from Port Said, Egypt, he was honored by Dr. Jim Leaman, associate professor of business.

It’s the rare undergraduate student who publishes original research and presents it at a prestigious academic conference, Leaman said, yet Sefin did so halfway through his undergraduate career. “Then, he leveraged that innovation to launch an entrepreneurial venture to serve the needs of others,” the professor said.

Sefin combines world-class science with a true heart for service. As a dedicated researcher and founder of ROUMATICS, he’s already made a mark in the medical field, Leaman said. “His cancer research at 91��Ƶ and Harvard was chosen for an American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting, a huge honor for any scientist.”

One of his nominators wrote: “In my many years as an instructor and mentor, I have seldom seen a student with more commitment to academic and moral excellence.”

Sefin supports his peers on campus by tutoring across three academic disciplines and guiding international students as they navigate English and adjust to life in the United States. He is also an active volunteer at a local nonprofit and serves as a deacon at his church.

“Whether he’s leading Bible study or teaching DNA workshops locally, Roumany leads with kindness and excellence,” Leaman said. “He truly represents the best of this community.”

Emily Suarez Nunez

A nursing major from McGaheysville, Virginia, she was honored by Allen Clay Jr., associate dean for campus life.

From student chaplain to hall director, Suarez Nunez’s time at 91��Ƶ has reflected her deep commitment to the well-being of the campus community, Clay said.

As hall director, she led first-year students with poise and compassion. She approached difficult conversations with empathy and clear boundaries, and worked through conflict in ways that built both accountability and belonging.

“Her supervisors speak of her as a trusted leader who embodies 91��Ƶ’s values of academic excellence, peace, justice, and social responsibility,” Clay said.

Suarez Nunez’s impact reaches well beyond residence life through her involvement in the Student Government Association, student chaplains, and Y-Serve. She has spent countless hours in service, led spring break trips to Atlanta and Puerto Rico, and helped coordinate volunteer opportunities that connect 91��Ƶ students with communities in need.

Her coworkers describe her as someone who can brighten a room, even while balancing the rigorous demands of a nursing degree. “Her patients will encounter not just medical expertise but a caregiver who knows how to listen, honor difficult moments, and help people feel seen,” Clay said. “That is a gift that Emily will carry forward in the next steps of her life.”

In his closing remarks at the ceremony, Jonathan Swartz, dean of students and co-chair of the Cords of Distinction committee, noted the many things the recipients will carry with them after graduating from 91��Ƶ: their cords, degrees, relationships, and memories.

“You also carry responsibility, because the world you are entering does not need more impressive resumes nearly as much as it needs people who are willing to live with clarity, compassion, and courage,” Swartz said. “[It needs] people who will ask not just what can I achieve, but what can I repair; not just where can I succeed, but where am I needed? If these cords mean anything beyond today, it’s this: you’ve already begun to answer those questions with your lives, and we trust you will keep answering them.”

The 2026 Cords of Distinction committee members: Jonathan Swartz, Celeste Thomas, Kate Clark, Deanna Durham, Justin McIlwee, Dawn Neil, and Aundrea Smiley. Special thanks to Jennifer North Bauman for her help and to Thaddeus Jackson ’25, who performed music for the event.

Watch a video recording of the ceremony below!

Called to serve and lead

Ryan Cornell with photos by Macson McGuigan ‘17 — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Eight months into her interim presidency, Rev. Dr. Dycus reflects on progress made and the path ahead

When the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus took the reins as 91��Ƶ’s interim president last July, she worried that she would lose the authentic relationships she developed with students over the years as the former head of student affairs. While it’s true there’s now a greater distance, both figuratively and literally, between Dycus on the third floor of Campus Center and the hundreds of 91��Ƶ students who cross the Front Lawn below her, it hasn’t been as far as she feared.

Over the past several months, Dycus said, she’s found ways to engage with students and show up for them. And so when a pair of student clubs asked her last month to participate as a panelist in a Valentine’s Day-related “How to Flirt” session, it was another reminder her approach was working.

“My initial reaction was, ‘Is this something a president should do?’ And then I realized that they wanted someone who could speak honestly and authentically, so it was actually an honor they included me,” said Dycus. “It was a wonderful opportunity for me to be with students again and to talk about things that matter a lot to them.”

Dycus isn’t the typical university president. The first Black woman to lead 91��Ƶ in the role, even in an interim capacity, she’s brought courage and boldness to the presidential suite. That confidence comes from a deep devotion for the university and its mission, shaped by years of serving its students. She said she’s learned to love engaging with donors and stakeholders, sharing stories of the school’s successes and expressing what excites her, well beyond the corners of campus.

“I’ve actually found that to be one of the things I enjoy most about this role,” she said. “My passion for 91��Ƶ gets concentrated in conversations I get to have.”

As the calendar flips from Black History Month to Women’s History Month and she approaches the ninth month of her two-year appointment, the ordained minister and educator reflected on her leadership, the mentors who have molded her, and her goals moving forward.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP PHOTO: Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus leads a line dance at the Turner Pavilion in Downtown Harrisonburg during the fourth annual Royals Go Downtown in September 2025. | She greets students outside 91��Ƶ alumna-owned Magpie Diner at the start of the cross-town culinary crawl. | Dycus chats with Jonathan Swartz, dean of students, at the Harrisonburg Holiday Parade in December 2025.

From conversations with faculty, staff, and students at a series of listening sessions held by the marketing and communications team in mid-February, it’s clear that people on campus feel a spirit of change in the air. A renewed energy courses through the veins of the university, and much of it stems from the new face in the president’s office. Dycus, ever the humble servant leader, brushes off the credit and heaps it on the leaders around her.

“Our Executive Leadership Team (ELT) is an adaptive and cohesive team,” said Dycus. “We identified our gaps in areas like branding or fiscal data and have launched shared responses, which is critical. Our team of four deans, with unique portfolios for teaching and learning, is also incredible. It’s a collaborative effort focused on what’s truly a priority for us as an institution.”

That priority has been righting the ship through the headwinds and choppy waters of higher education. Dycus and the leadership team have worked to stabilize the university and guide it toward long-term sustainability, ensuring it can thrive for generations to come.

“One of my goals this year, and as we keep moving forward, is to truly empower faculty and staff on campus to lead within the scope of their work and feel energized and excited about 91��Ƶ’s identity and progress,” she said. “I want them to know they have permission to advocate, both on campus and beyond, for the good things they see.”

Lately, there’s been plenty of positive news to go around. The momentum from last year has carried into this one, said Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president of enrollment and marketing. Undergraduate applications have jumped 92% compared to last year, and offers of admission have risen 126%.

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus catches up with 91��Ƶ alumni and staff following a kickoff celebration for Homecoming 2025.

When Dycus looks back at the many mentors in her life, she can’t overlook her roots in the traditional Black church where she was raised. The granddaughter of a pastor in the Disciples of Christ denomination, she recalled the many Black women in her congregation who offered wisdom, corrected her, and challenged her in ways that were important for her formation.

“I felt loved and cared for by each of them,” she said. “They invested in me and poured into me, with their wisdom, time, and energy, in ways I still feel grateful for. How do I continue that investment with the next generation of young people? There’s a real responsibility and commitment in what they gave me.”

One of the people who impacted her most was her high school guidance counselor. As a sophomore starting at her third high school, Dycus struggled to make new friends and figure out her identity. Her counselor, Marilyn Corbitt, was pivotal in helping her find a place where she belonged and in affirming the gifts she saw in herself.

“I left high school and started college hoping I could be a Marilyn Corbitt for someone else,” said Dycus. She earned a degree in education and planned to become a guidance counselor herself.

Corbitt died in September 2019 at age 80. She was one of the only Black counselors at Dycus’ high school of more than 3,000 students and served as advisor to its Black Student Association.

“She did a wonderful job of teaching us many of the things we weren’t learning in the classroom and challenging us to live them out in real ways, from leading service projects in the community to expressing culture in ways that brought joy,” Dycus said. “She encouraged us to use our voices, even when it was uncomfortable.”

“I still carry her spirit and the impact she had on me,” she continued. “I didn’t get a chance to go back and tell her ‘thank you,’ but I carry the hope that I can be Marilyn for whichever young version of Shannon needs it.”

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus answers questions from senior nursing major Emily Suarez Nunez at a meet-and-greet event in October during Homecoming 2025.

Students at 91��Ƶ say Dycus has supported them and helped them grow through her mentorship.

“She always chats and checks up on me and emphasizes my mental health,” said senior Nia Boyd. “She’s like an auntie for me. I always enjoy sharing a laugh with her.”

As co-president of the Student Government Association last year, senior Genesis Figueroa worked closely with Dycus. “She was always there to help us out, especially when it was hard being a woman of color on the executive team,” said Figueroa. “I saw how she not only did her job, but also supported and encouraged students to speak up for themselves.”

For senior and first-generation college student Emily Suarez Nunez, Dycus has helped her recognize the value of quiet presence and support and become more confident speaking up for others.

“I appreciate that, even with her new role and responsibilities, she is still Shannon,” said Suarez Nunez. “Every time I see her, she’s the same kind, genuine, listening ear she’s always been. When I talk with her, the world slows down for a few minutes, and sharing that moment feels like a deep breath that refills and recharges me.”

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus speaks about power and justice at Convocation for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.

A set of mosaic prints has adorned her 91��Ƶ offices. The prints feature portraits of people throughout history who have inspired her in different ways.

Among the portraits are bell hooks, the educator and activist who shaped Dycus’ understanding of what it means to be a teacher; theologian and spiritual leader Howard Thurman, the first Black dean of a predominantly white institution; and two icons of the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

“I come to this role of president not as a traditional academic, but as a leader who seeks boldness and truth, like Martin and Malcolm did,” said Dycus. “I come as an educator who is deeply concerned with the growth of humans, as bell hooks was. And I come as someone who pays attention to the spirit in people and in our community, as Howard Thurman did. Whenever I feel fragmented or unconventional in how I arrived here, they remind me how all the pieces can come together in meaningful ways.”

Learn more about Dr. Dycus at��emu.edu/president.

‘A living, evolving experiment in education’: D.C. program turns 50

Ryan Cornell — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:12:22 +0000

Alumni reunite to share memories, stories from their time in the program

The 91��Ƶ Washington Semester program started off in the fall of 1976 as a “high-risk proposition,” recalls Phil Baker-Shenk ’79.

“It was a high risk for the college, a high risk for us individual students, and certainly a high risk for (program founder and director) Nelson Good ’68 and Arden Shank, who staffed it,” said Baker-Shenk, one of the first students in the yearlong program (then known as the Washington Study-Service Year or WSSY) from 1976-77. “It was a high risk all around, and yet people with good ideas decided to plunge in, take that risk, and make it happen.”

Fifty years later, that big gamble has paid off.

Alumni of the urban studies program—the only such program offered at Anabaptist-affiliated institutions—credit it with giving them improved professional confidence, greater clarity about career direction, more comfort in working with people different than they are, and an increased awareness of systemic injustices.

Each semester and summer, students from 91��Ƶ and partner schools such as Bethel College, Bluffton University, and Goshen College converge at the Nelson Good House in the culturally diverse and multiethnic Brookland neighborhood of Washington D.C. It’s there that they learn to live in a shared community, cooking and eating meals together, managing a collective budget and household responsibilities, and navigating conflict with maturity.

Students gain real-world professional experience in their chosen field of study through internship placements, study the history and social dynamics of the city, and immerse themselves in the rich culture and vibrancy of the nation’s capital.

Baker-Shenk was among the 60 alumni and supporters of the 91��Ƶ Washington Semester, from its beginnings in the 1970s through today, who gathered at the Busboys and Poets restaurant in Brookland on Saturday, Feb. 14, to share their memories and experiences from their time in the program and celebrate its 50-year legacy. The milestone reunion included remarks from Program Director Ryan Good, 91��Ƶ Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, Provost Dr. Tynisha Willingham, and many students and alumni from the past five decades.

91��Ƶ Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus delivers remarks at Busboys and Poets in Brookland, Washington D.C., on Saturday, Feb. 14.

Since its inception, more than 1,000 students have called the program home for a season of their lives, said Dycus. They’ve taken courses at and built relationships with institutions such as Catholic University of America and Howard University. And students have learned to live with difference, practice shared leadership, and carry conviction into real work.

“We’re celebrating a living, evolving experiment in education,” Dycus told the crowd. “One that has asked generations of students to take learning seriously enough to put it to work. Since 1976, this program has woven together community living, academic study, and vocational reflection right in the complexity of our nation’s capital.”

As the story’s been told, shared Dycus, Nelson Good came to D.C. as a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War era. “And, out of that experience, he helped build a program committed to servant leadership and social justice, and an education shaped by peace, responsibility, and courage to see the city as it is.”

Nelson Good directed the program until his retirement in 1987, mentoring it through major transitions. When the time came to find a new home closer to public transportation and academic partners, he personally helped find and secure the building at 836 Taylor Street that became the Nelson Good House.

“He did that work even while facing a cancer diagnosis and died a few months before the facility’s dedication (on Aug. 20, 2005),” Dycus said.

Alumni of the 91��Ƶ Washington Semester gather to celebrate the program’s 50-year legacy.

The 91��Ƶ Washington Semester offers a built-in social and professional network for its alumni, many of whom find long-term careers in D.C., thanks to the web of connections and relationships they build through the program.

Aerlande Wontamo ’06 was among the first cohort of 15 students to live at the Nelson Good House during the spring of 2006. She interned at the Ethiopian Community Development Council while taking classes at Howard University.

“It was such a meaningful experience for me because I got on (Howard’s) campus and I looked like everybody else,” said Wontamo, who is originally from Ethiopia. “There was another person in our group, I think from Goshen, who was also at Howard, and she was white. We would go to school, and that was the first time she felt like a minority. It was this wonderful experience for both of us.”

Like many alumni of the 91��Ƶ Washington Semester (it was known as the Washington Community Scholars’ Center or WCSC after 2002), Wontamo stayed in the city. Twenty years later, the economic development grad is still working in the refugee and immigrant services field as senior vice president of U.S. programs for World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian organization.

“It was my internship that was such a meaningful experience for me and led me through all of the steps to get to where I am,” she said. “So, I’m a huge fan of the program.”

Ryan Good, director of the 91��Ƶ Washington Semester, and senior Genesis Figueroa, who was in the program last spring, talk about the impact of the program.

Anisa Leonard ’21, a social work grad originally from Kenya, interned at Voices for a Second Chance, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals returning home from incarceration, during her spring 2021 semester in the program.

“The WCSC program was absolutely foundational in getting me to where I am now,” said the social worker. “It sparked my interest in working with people who are marginalized in so many ways, especially in a city so impacted by race and gentrification.”

Genesis Figueroa joined Ryan Good on stage for a conversation, reflecting on her experiences in the program during spring 2025. The 91��Ƶ senior, who is double majoring in political science and Spanish, interned at Catholic Charities in its immigration legal services department, where she provided translation, interpretation, and administrative work. She said she hopes to become an immigration lawyer.

“It definitely solidified what I want to do after college and what type of work I want to do,” she said. “It solidified my passion for it.”

Another 91��Ƶ senior, Dia Mekonnen, remembered living at the Nelson Good House with 13 other students during summer 2025. “It was really packed,” she said. “But it was really nice to connect with them. It was nice to cook together, to be able to share our perspectives, and we still hang out.”

Saturday morning’s celebration was attended by alumni from each of the past five decades, former directors, and staff members.

Baker-Shenk credited Nelson Good, along with many other heroes, with the courage and vision to implement and sustain the idea of the D.C. program over the years.

“One of the many things he taught me, and it was a little hard for me to take back in the ’70s, was that institutions deserve our love and our commitment and our care,” he said. “Fifty years later, here’s an institution that has carried each of us in this room in one way or another, and it happened because it was nourished and encouraged.”

Hear what others had to say
At the same time, said Dawn Longenecker ’80, who was in the second cohort of the D.C. program (1977-78), Nelson Good also taught students to challenge institutions. “I think he created WSSY as an alternative to the institution that we were all a part of at 91��Ƶ,” she said. “It was an alternative place where you could come to the city and really struggle with the systemic forces that were out here, that are still out here, that are wreaking havoc.”
Provost Dr. Tynisha Willingham called the D.C. program a distinctive of the 91��Ƶ experience: “We’ve been able to partner with other universities because so many have moved away from doing this work in the city. But yet, we continue to do the work. We continue to support students. And we continue to place our students in organizations that are changing the landscape of not just D.C., but also the world.”
Since 2018, Bianca Ward, who has primarily worked in public health and HIV outreach, has met with students in the program to speak about her vocational journey and hear about their experiences, hopes, and dreams. “We talk about self-care, social justice, and all of these things, and every time I leave, I am inspired by what’s happening in that space,” she said.
Others attending the reunion included Professor Emerita Dr. Kimberly Schmidt, who directed the program for 22 years; former assistant director Doug Hertzler ’88; and former staff member Cynthia Lapp ’86.

Kirk Shisler ’81, vice president for advancement, speaks to the importance of supporting the 91��Ƶ Washington Semester.

Kirk Shisler ’81, vice president for advancement, is a proud member of the third cohort of students in the program (1978-79). He told guests there were many ways to support the program. One such opportunity is through the Dr. Kimberly Schmidt Endowed Scholarship, which was dedicated during the program’s on-campus reunion at Homecoming 2025.

“Financial aid is such a critical part of the story for every student, and it’s an obstacle,” he said. “It’s an obstacle to participation in this program and others. And so what we can do to mitigate that through donor-funded aid is an opportunity we want to focus on.”

Learn more about the 91��Ƶ Washington Semester at .

Read more:

Sept. 2025: Rebranded 91��Ƶ Washington Semester celebrates 50 years of career-building and community
Nov. 2016: Forty years of service and learning celebrated at WCSC’s Nelson Good House
Aug. 2015: Washington Community Scholars’ Center celebrates 10 years at the Nelson Good House in Brookland
March 2014: The history of the Washington Community Scholars’ Center