Friday afternoon鈥檚 Presidential Forum at 91短视频鈥檚 MainStage Theater offered a rare opportunity to hear from four leaders: three who have led the institution through major cultural and curricular change, and a fourth whose current leadership symbolizes a new beginning and new challenges.

鈥淭his is one of the events I鈥檝e been looking forward to this weekend,鈥� Donald Kraybill, author of 91短视频鈥檚 new Centennial history, told the gathered crowd at Homecoming and Family Weekend. 鈥淲e are very fortunate as an institution to have four living presidents. It鈥檚 rather remarkable in many ways.鈥�

聽introduced presidents emeriti , 1965-80; , 1987-2003; and , 2003-2016. [, president from 1980-87, died in 1991.]

Each president was asked to share a defining moment in their presidency, an achievement or accomplishment, and a prank or humorous story.

Myron Augsburger

The library fund drive of 1969 made Augsburger鈥檚 highlight list. The event drove then-Eastern Mennonite College into national view, primarily for the that raised $111,000 in four days at a time when many college campuses were places of unrest and dissent.

Students 鈥済athered things from all over the neighborhood鈥� for a Saturday night auction. As the night went on, the amount rose and rose.

鈥淔inally, at quarter to two or two o鈥檆lock in the morning, I auctioned off the last thing,鈥� Augsburger remembered. 鈥淚t was [campus pastor] Truman Brunk鈥檚 necktie. I reached over and pulled it off him and that put us over the top.鈥�

In regards to his accomplishment, Augsburger noted the development of the Inter-Disciplinary Studies curriculum, popularly known as IDS, which Kraybill called a rare and 鈥渕assive transformation鈥� that integrated the Christian faith into the liberal arts. 鈥淚t proved we were not an educational program with a little religion tacked on the edge like many colleges,鈥� Augsburger said. 鈥淲e had seven courses, each taught by five professors from five disciplines who modeled integrated Christian faith with each discipline and how they overlapped.鈥�

One of Augsburger鈥檚 most embarrassing moments came in his first year as president at EMC when he invited his predecessor to speak in chapel. The night before, a drama had been staged and the banner that displayed the college鈥檚 motto 鈥淭hy Word is Truth鈥� had been temporarily taken down.

Mumaw had not been on campus for many months (shortly after marrying Evelyn King, former dean of women, they had traveled on a lengthy worldwide tour). Upon arriving at the pulpit, his first comment was 鈥淚 see that since I鈥檓 no longer president, the college has removed the motto 鈥楾hy Word is Truth.鈥欌��

Joe Lapp

Lapp came to presidency after serving 13 years on the board of trustees. He arrived at a difficult time, he remembered, with challenges related to enrollment, revenue and campus morale. 鈥淪oon after I was appointed, one of my attorney friends said, 鈥榃hy would you leave a good practice and join a sinking ship?鈥欌��

An enrollment boost helped both revenue and morale, as did entrepreneurial development of programs that became new revenue sources, such as the Adult Degree Completion Program, the Intensive English Program, and the seminary鈥檚 Clinical Pastoral Education program. This era also saw the founding of successful graduate programs, including the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and the Masters in Counseling program.

鈥淚 thought I needed to be an encourager of new ideas,鈥� he said.

His leadership in changing the name from Eastern Mennonite College (EMC) to 91短视频 (91短视频) led to many tongue-in-cheek gifts: 鈥淚 received a collection of wonderful things to celebrate emus from around the world, like a pack of emu cigarettes for Central America, emu wine, emu jerky…鈥�

Lapp was also the only president to sport hair below his collar. It grew long during a cross-cultural trip to the Middle East and he decided not to cut it because 鈥渋t was more fun aggravating people.鈥� Eventually he pulled it into a ponytail and cut it off, after the YPCA made it into a fundraising event.

Loren Swartzendruber

President from 2003 to 2016, Swartzendruber recalled that 鈥渋ssues of sexuality were absolutely the number one challenge that I dealt with from the beginning, starting with a demonstration on campus one week after my inauguration. 鈥� That became a 13-year-long conversation, as it has been in the church.鈥�

Accomplishments included 91短视频鈥檚 ground-breaking solar installation on the roof of the Hartzler Library and attendance with alumna Leymah Gbowee at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

As for pranks, Swartzendruber brought with him a photocopy of an April 2004 issue of the Feather Brain with the headline 鈥淐ops bust party at presidential residence.鈥� He speculated that , posthumous recipient of the Distinguished Life Service Award during the weekend, may have had a hand in the writing of the article, though as is tradition with the “prank” newspaper, no writers’ names were included.

Swartzendruber also noted the infamous episode during which a student fell while trying to move the 250-pound taxidermied bison into the third story of Oakwood. 鈥淭his was a generational prankster family, so when I went to visit the student in the hospital, I told him, 鈥業鈥檝e heard stories about your grandfather, I know your dad, and before you have kids at 91短视频, I am out of here.鈥�

Current president seeks perspective, advice

Nine months into her tenure as 91短视频鈥檚 ninth president, Huxman opted to ask each of her predecessors two questions.

She was curious about the joys of the position. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e never not a president,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut still with the pressures of the position, the Chronicle of Higher Education reports that 89 percent of all college presidents report having huge job satisfaction, even if they served a short tenure.鈥�

Swartzendruber said his particular joy 鈥渁lways had to do with students;鈥� whether in art, theater or athletics, he enjoyed 鈥渟eeing student accomplishments and then following them as graduates, as alumni.鈥�

Lapp remembered one special day when the university was awarded a large grant, affirming the university鈥檚 influence and the expertise of its faculty.

Augsburger noted teamwork: 鈥渨orking with faculty who were my peers, not only to have their support, criticisms and counsel.鈥�

Huxman also asked the group for recommendations for caring for and empowering spouses. She pointed out her husband Jesse in the audience, and praised Kraybill for giving spouses equal attention in the Centennial history: 鈥淧at, Hannah and Esther are not just footnotes in your book,鈥� she said, referring to Pat Swartzendruber, Hannah Lapp and Esther Augsburger.

From the audience, the presidents fielded questions about the early Bible college curriculum, the need for and value of accreditation, shifts within the liberal arts curriculum and growth of professional studies programs, as well as the college-to-university name change.

Audience member Mary Ellen Witmer, who worked in the alumni/development office for many years, prompted the sharing by Lapp of a few major events during the time of President Richard Detweiler (1980-87), specifically the loss through fire of the Administration Building. “That was particularly devastating to Richard,” Lapp said, remembering that his predecessor felt deeply the loss of the landmark structure that was then under renovation.

Spaces are filling up fast for this year’s School for Leadership Training (SLT) January 16-18, 2012 at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Plenary speaker Walter Brueggemann, and workshops on the theme “God and Mammon: Reframing Stewardship Amidst Abundance, Scarcity and Conflict” are contributing to an unprecedented number of early registrations.

“With the economy, jobs and money on the top of nearly everyone’s mind, and a great scholar like Brueggemann, this is a timely event,” said Linda Alley, coordinator for SLT.

Brueggemann, professor emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary, is a prolific author and has written more than 50 books, hundreds of articles, and several commentaries on books of the Bible. He is also a minister of the United Church of Christ. Brueggemann has a ThD from Union Theological Seminary, New York and a PhD from St. Louis University.

“What we do with our money and how that connects to our faith is so vital,” said Alley. “Church budgets are stretched, individual’s budgets are stretched, and we often wonder how that connects with our faith.”

There will be 15 workshops and include a range of topics from living more with less, and preaching on money to faith in work settings.

Several of the workshops will be led by Everence Financial staff. 鈥淲ith our emphasis on faith and finance, this was the perfect opportunity for us to partner with Eastern Mennonite鈥� said Joseph Lapp, managing director of Everence鈥檚 Harrisonburg office.

“Sometimes it seems there is a gap between the business world and the church,” said Michael King, EMS dean. “Our hope is Christian business leaders and church leaders will converse deeply about how our handling of money flows out of or impacts our faith.”

The SLT training workshop is the collaborative work of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, the master in business administration program at 91短视频 and Everence.

Christian business leaders, stewardship and financial officers in the church, pastors and lay leaders are encouraged to attend this three-day event. Group discounts are available for multiple members from the same church, business or organization when they register together.

For more information or to register visit .

On Nov. 14, 190 people gathered at the Eastern Mennonite High School dining hall for a program and dinner to remember and to honor the godly legacy of John R., Esther M. and Evelyn K. Mumaw.

Former 91短视频 presidents Myron S. Augsburger and Joseph L. Lapp and current president Loren Swartzendruber honored their predecessor John R. Mumaw at a ‘Celebration of Ministry’ event. Photo by Steve Carpenter

John R. married Esther Mosemann in 1928 and together they raised five daughters – Helen, Grace, Catherine, Lois and Miriam, in Harrisonburg, Va. John R. possessed exceptional leadership gifts. He went on to become the fourth president of the former Eastern Mennonite College, 1948-1965, served twice as moderator of the Mennonite Church, 1961-63 and 1969-71, and led Virginia Mennonite Conference as moderator, 1968-1974.

Pastoral skill and vision

During the evening, many spoke of John R’s pastoral skill, vision and administrative ability. Nancy Hopkins-Garriss, executive director of Pleasant View Homes, Inc., recounted how he started Pleasant View as a place for adults with developmental disabilities. Ron Yoder, CEO of Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, recalled how John R. gave vision to the expansion of VMRC, while Dr. Linford Gehman cited his leadership as executive secretary of Mennonite Medical Association,1969-79.

Sprinkled in were stories of Esther and Evelyn’s service to the church given independently of and alongside their husband. Esther died suddenly in 1964. One year later, John R. then 91短视频 president, married Evelyn King, the college’s dean of women.

Byron Peachey

Byron Peachey, a campus minister at 91短视频 and John and Esther’s grandson, emceed the evening. His mother Helen, died in 2000 and was the only Mumaw daughter not present. Byron read a remembrance from Hubert and Mildred Pellman. They recalled Esther winning a game of Scrabble, then looking at John with a mischievous smile and saying, "…and I didn’t even go to college."

Lee M. Yoder, president of his 91短视频 class under John’s tenure, recalled presenting a demand for a forum to express student opinions. John R. acquiesced and provided a prominent display board. The only problem – it was completely enclosed in glass. The only way to get something posted was to go through the dean of students and the president’s son-in-law, Laban Peachey.

Another commented how effective John R. was in dealing with his critics by referencing his constituency. On one occasion the moderator of VMC approached him with an issue. John R. replied "You meet on campus in assembly once a year. I work with this community every day. I cannot do what you ask."

Later, 91短视频’s current president Loren Swartzendruber jokingly commented, "Tonight I learned a lot from John R. about how to deal effectively with both VMC’s moderator and student class presidents." Swartzendruber also shared reflections on taking a homiletics course with Mumaw as a seminary student in 1973. Mumaw expected all sermons to be written in manuscript form, saying, "The Holy Spirit is present in the study as well as in the pulpit."

All three surviving present or former presidents of 91短视频 – Myron Augsburger, Joe Lapp and Loren Swartzendruber, along with former 91短视频 interim president Beryl H. Brubaker – were present to honor one of their own. 91短视频 helped sponsor the event along with VMRC, PV Inc., and Dr. Gehman.

This was Virginia Mennonite Conference’s 10th Celebration of Ministry banquet. In addition to honoring a remarkable man and his family, it raised funds for VMC and established a ministerial training and trust fund for the theological education of pastors in the Potomac District of VMC.

Steve Carpenter is conference coordinator of Virginia Mennonite Conference.

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.