More than 3,000 people were in attendance to recognize the graduates.

Business leader and philanthropist听Jose Koshy, class of 鈥�76, delivered the address on the power of agape love and kindness.听He shared three acts of kindness he received at EMC that have guided him in building a career, a business and a family.

When Koshy was an 18-year-old first-year student at EMC, his parents needed to leave Harrisonburg. He could not afford to live in the dorms and, 鈥渒nowing my situation, God sent Rachel and Robert Stoltzfus into my life.鈥� The couple lived near campus and took him in 鈥渨ith no questions asked.鈥�

鈥淭heir home was small, but their hearts were big,鈥� Koshy said. 鈥淭hey gave so much from what little they had. They were rich in spirit and they were generous with it 鈥� true agape love.鈥�

Undergraduates Hebron Mekuria and Ariel Morales Bonilla and MA graduate Chidi Ihezuoh offered graduate perspectives.

鈥淰ery few things in this world are actually impossible,鈥� Mekuria told the graduates. 鈥淢any things can be done. They can be hard, challenging and require lots and lots of work, but they can be done.鈥�

For a longer summary of the Commencement address from Koshy and the graduate perspectives, visit the post below.

President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman presided over the ceremony, and Provost Tynisha Willingham commissioned the graduates. The commencement was Willingham鈥檚 first; she started in the role in July 2023.

Cords of Distinction

Ten graduating seniors are 2024 Cords of Distinction recipients. They were honored in a on Friday, May 3, 2024, and wore blue and gold cords signifying their achievement during 91短视频 Commencement.

Lavender Graduation

91短视频 hosted its third Lavender Graduation on Saturday, May 4, 2024, to honor LGBTQ+ graduates and alumni. The annual event recognizes LGBTQ+ students of all races and ethnicities and acknowledges their achievement and contributions to the university.

Donning of the Kente

91短视频 held its ninth  on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at MainStage Theater. The annual event recognizes and rewards achievement, honors those who contributed to the graduate鈥檚 success, connects graduates to their heritage and international roots, and encourages them to continue striving for excellence. 

Undergraduate Baccalaureate

The undergraduate seniors in the Class of 2024 were honored with a service on Saturday, May 4, 2024, which included a scripture reading, musical selections, an address from Instructor Maria Esther Showalter, senior class salutations and the presentation of the senior class gift. View the ceremony .

CJP Celebration of Blessings

The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) celebrated the 33 graduates from its master’s degree and graduate certificate programs on Sunday, May 5, 2024, with a send-off from faculty and staff and reflections from three 2024 graduates.

91短视频 at Lancaster will hold its Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10, 2024 at 7 p.m. at Forest Hills Mennonite Church in Leola, Pennsylvania. The school will recognize 14 aviation graduates and 16 Leadership and Organizational Management (LOM) and Graduate Teacher Education graduates.

Watch for a recap of the Lancaster ceremony coming soon!

Photos by Macson McGuigan/91短视频, Cassidy Walker/91短视频 and Jon Styer/At Ease Design & Consulting

Business leader and philanthropist听Jose Koshy, class of 鈥�76, delivered a Commencement address on Sunday, May 5, 2024, about the power of agape love and kindness.

Koshy was born in Brunei (Southeast Asia), moved to India with his family when he was five years old and arrived in the U.S. at age 15. Eventually, in 1970, his family found their way to Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Koshy graduated from Eastern Mennonite High School in 1972 and was a member of the Eastern Mennonite College Class of 1976. His career includes management roles at several Fortune 500 companies in the telecommunications sector. Currently, he serves as executive vice president of Tribocor Technologies in Houston, Texas.

Koshy shared three acts of agape love and kindness he received at EMC that have guided him in building a career, a business and a family.

One of those acts, he shared with the 3,000-plus gathered for Commencement, was the kindness shown by then-Academic Dean Dr. Ira Miller, who invited international students like Koshy into his home and let them share their stories.

鈥淚 appreciated the intercultural learning, the mutual respect and the free exchange of ideas in those many discussions,鈥� he said.

Koshy also shared the kindness shown by his former supervisor Milo Stahl, director of learning resources, who taught him how to thread film into a projector. Koshy recalled breaking the film several times and watching as Stahl patiently spliced and glued the film together each time.

鈥淚 was embarrassed and gave up on myself, but Mr. Stahl did not,鈥� Koshy said. 鈥淗e taught me how to splice and fix my mistakes. 鈥� I became the go-to guy to fix all the broken and damaged films on campus.鈥�

When Koshy was an 18-year-old first-year student at EMC, his parents needed to leave Harrisonburg. He could not afford to live in the dorms and, 鈥渒nowing my situation, God sent Rachel and Robert Stoltzfus into my life.鈥� The couple lived near campus and took him in 鈥渨ith no questions asked.鈥�

鈥淭heir home was small, but their hearts were big,鈥� Koshy said. 鈥淭hey gave so much from what little they had. They were rich in spirit and they were generous with it 鈥� true agape love.鈥�

Koshy and his wife, Jean Koshy-Hertzler 鈥�79, have honored the Stoltzfus family by establishing scholarships at 91短视频 for international students and inclusive excellence grants for faculty, staff and students.

Undergraduates Hebron Mekuria and Ariel Morales Bonilla and MA graduate Chidi Ihezuoh offered graduate perspectives.

Mekuria, a graduate of the engineering and computer science programs, took a moment to remember Nathan Longenecker, a member of the Class of 2024 who was diagnosed with brain cancer in his second semester at 91短视频 and passed away in October 2021. A has been created to honor his legacy. 

She spoke about their past four years, from taking online classes on Zoom to standing up for the rights of those oppressed around the world, in Palestine and in Ukraine.

鈥淰ery few things in this world are actually impossible,鈥� she told the graduates. 鈥淢any things can be done. They can be hard, challenging and require lots and lots of work, but they can be done.鈥�

Bonilla, a graduate with degrees in political science and history, expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the 鈥渟imple, yet profound joys鈥� of Fridays at the cafeteria.

鈥淔or many of us, Fridays meant smiley fries and burgers,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 day of closing each week with friends and community, laughing, sharing food, and sometimes talking about this very day… a graduation that you all remember.鈥�

Ihezuoh, an MA in Christian leadership graduate, shared thanks for the relationships forged with faculty, friends and classmates at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

鈥淓ach one of us at the seminary was the support system for the other,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e all worked as a team.鈥�

President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman听presided over the ceremony, and听Provost Tynisha Willingham听commissioned the graduates. The commencement was Willingham鈥檚 first; she started in the role in July 2023.

Koshy鈥檚 illustrious career includes management roles at several Fortune 500 companies in the telecommunications sector. Currently, he serves as the executive vice president of Houston, Texas-based Tribocor Technologies Inc., a leading specialty manufacturer in the energy industry.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Jose Koshy and his wife Jean Koshy-Hertzler 鈥�79 are actively engaged in philanthropy and community activism. Their generous contributions to 91短视频 have amplified the university鈥檚 DEI initiatives, establishing scholarships for international students and fostering a culture of belonging through inclusive excellence grants.

鈥淲e are excited to welcome Mr. Jose Koshy to 91短视频 to deliver the keynote address to the class of 2024,” said President Susan Schultz Huxman. “He is a great storyteller, and his own journey through 91短视频 as an international student is one of those beautiful stories. He and his wife, Jean, experienced a transformative educational journey at 91短视频 that featured strong relational connections with faculty, staff, alumni and community friends.”

Jose Koshy credits the guidance and mentorship shown by former Eastern Mennonite College Academic Dean Ira Miller and Learning Resources Director Milo Stahl 鈥� who loved and nurtured students of all colors, faiths and cultures 鈥� as foundational to his advocacy.

Huxman added that Jose Koshy and his family “have forever been most appreciative and given back in extraordinary ways to 91短视频 to assist international students, provide faculty fellowships, and sponsor inclusive excellence grants to faculty, staff and students.” “In their community work in Houston, Jose and Jean are still modeling the values they learned at 91短视频 to share Jesus鈥� teachings of peacemaking and nonviolence through their community activism and giving,” shared Huxman.

Jose Koshy is a 1972 graduate of Eastern Mennonite High School. He attended Eastern Mennonite College for three years before transferring to James Madison University and earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communications (a program not then offered at EMC).

He and his wife live in Houston, Texas. They have three daughters.

To livestream the commencement address, visit 91短视频鈥檚 .听For a complete schedule of commencement weekend activities, go to the听Commencement Events page.听