Lynch remembers receiving his own handwritten card during the holidays back when he was a high school senior in King William, Virginia, a dot on the map about 30 miles east of Richmond. And he remembers feeling appreciative that a student at 91短视频, recent biology and mathematics grad Marciella Shallomita 鈥�25, wrote to him.

鈥淚 was a student chaplain last semester and I got to meet her, and it was nice to say to her, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e one of the reasons I came here,鈥欌�� shared Lynch, adding that another big draw pulling him to 91短视频 was receiving the four-year, full-tuition Yoder/Webb Scholarship. 鈥淚 thought it was nice that someone had taken the time to write me something and tell me how much they enjoyed 91短视频.鈥�

As a way of paying it forward, Lynch stopped by the main lobby of University Commons in between classes on Friday to participate in the 15th annual note-writing event sponsored by the admissions office. He, along with more than 90 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of 91短视频, hand-wrote hundreds of cards (over 700 cards and counting, as tallied on Monday morning) that will be mailed to admitted students all across the country.

Lynch said he wrote to students who, like him, were interested in studying political science and digital media. 鈥淭he majority of my cards were about how good the professors are in the VACA (Visual And Communication Arts) department and how I鈥檝e never once regretted choosing digital media as my major,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to reach out to incoming students and tell them, 鈥楬ey, if you need any help or if you ever want to talk about your major or about any classes, come find me.鈥� I think I鈥檓 the only River on campus, so it shouldn鈥檛 be hard.鈥�

The annual note-writing event provides an opportunity for members of the campus community to form connections with admitted students and tell them about what makes 91短视频 special. Students have said that receiving these cards makes an enormous impact on their college choice. 

Fortunata Chipeta, a junior public health major, didn鈥檛 realize this impact until a current first-year student she wrote a card to last year told her it helped convince him to attend 91短视频. 鈥淭his event is like me giving them a nudge toward the 91短视频 experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e want them to experience the welcoming and fun adventure here.鈥�

Another student participating in the event, Ava Walker, a sophomore psychology major from Richmond, wrote cards to prospective psychology students. 鈥淚鈥檝e been telling them about how the school makes me feel welcome and has given me so much since I鈥檝e been here,鈥� said Walker, who is a Royal Ambassador, tour guide, and member of the lacrosse team. 

Luke Litwiller, director of undergraduate admissions, said the goal of the event is to ensure every admitted student receives a handwritten, personalized card from a member of the 91短视频 community and 鈥渆xperiences a little bit of the relational care that we offer here.鈥�

鈥淭his is also a community-building event and gets people all across campus involved in enrollment efforts,鈥� he said.

Friday鈥檚 blanket of snow caused a slight hitch in plans, pushing the start of the event from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., but the dedicated volunteers pressed on, powering through wrist cramps as they wrote.

鈥淕iven how many admitted students we had this year, we needed a pretty solid push,鈥� said organizer Liz Heilbronner, assistant director of transfer admissions and event planner. 鈥淓ven if someone only wrote one note card, it still made a big difference.鈥�

The university will welcome a host of prospective undergraduate students and their families on Saturday for the first ROAR Session of the year. 

Each of the four open house programs provide a place for high school juniors and seniors to experience the culture at 91短视频 and see what it鈥檚 like to be a student on campus. Those high schoolers, who might not have applied to 91短视频 yet, attend panel discussions, participate in activities, take a tour of the campus, eat a complimentary meal in the dining hall and get answers to any questions they have. They can also audition for a spot in a music ensemble and potentially land a scholarship.

It鈥檚 too late to register for Saturday鈥檚 session, but registration is accepted for the next three sessions. ROAR Session 2 is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 18. The deadline to register for the event is noon on Nov. 10.

Registration can be completed online at /admissions/campus-visit/programs/open-house2.

This year鈥檚 series of ROAR Session events will have some noticeable changes.

Gone are the long lines of tables stretching down the hallway at the university fair. They will be replaced by an array of cocktail tables that elicit the feel of a mixer. The fair helps prospective students learn more about majors, campus programs, clubs and athletics. The updated format aims to get them more comfortable with wandering around and striking up conversations with faculty and students.

Herm, 91短视频鈥檚 mascot, will make more of an appearance this year. Cardboard cutouts of the blue lion will grace the tables at the university fair. A team of Royal Ambassadors will join in the enthusiasm, snapping pictures at the photobooth and hawking 91短视频 merch at the swag shop. 

Saturday will also see the debut of a spirited school chant. And prospective students who make a tuition deposit can celebrate with a recent tradition: striking a gong in the admissions office. 

The biggest change might be the new name. What was labeled as Open House I before last year is now rebranded as ROAR Session 1. 

Previous open house campus visits were built for a different audience, says Mary Jensen, vice president of enrollment and strategic growth. They were more about communicating information and less about the experience.

The ROAR Session rebranding, along with the other updates, will help 91短视频 more authentically express its identity to prospective students. It鈥檚 a way for the school to communicate the fun and welcoming vibe on campus. And it all fits into the invitation for prospective students to discover their passion, to follow their calling and to Find Your ROAR.

What鈥檚 in a name

鈥淔ind Your ROAR鈥� packs a whole lot of meaning into a pithy tagline.

鈥淓very word really says something about the way we go about education at 91短视频,鈥� Jensen said.

鈥淔ind鈥� evokes a sense of discovery and learning, and supports students in their path of exploration. 鈥淵our鈥� focuses on helping students find their authentic and unique identities. And 鈥淩OAR鈥� serves as not only a nod to Herm the lion, but also refers to each student鈥檚 passion and voice.

鈥淲hen people find their place of passion and are able to let that shine, let that sing, let that be heard in the world, that鈥檚 what 91短视频 wants to do, is help you find that place and then send you out into the world with your roar,鈥� Jensen said. 

She noted that the tagline also helps dispel the stereotype of Mennonites being a quiet people.聽

鈥淧erhaps we鈥檝e been seen as too humble,鈥� Jensen said. 鈥淧eace is sometimes equated to passivity. And maybe we were not willing to be forthright about what we have to offer as being of value.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 be quiet; we don鈥檛 want to be the best-kept secret.鈥�

Jensen, previously the associate provost of 91短视频 at Lancaster, arrived in Harrisonburg in December 2021. She said she noticed that other universities used a tagline that tied into their identities. 

She tasked Fig Industries, a marketing agency based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with developing one that 91短视频 could use. The school has been gradually introducing it in speeches and marketing materials over the past year, but this semester it鈥檚 being put into full force.

鈥淭his is the first year we are all in on it,鈥� Jensen said.

In her convocation speech kicking off the school year in August, President Susan Schultz Huxman shared an inspiring message encouraging students to 鈥淔ind Your ROAR鈥� at 91短视频

鈥淭his expression has multiple meanings and yet at its core we are saying: come to 91短视频 where you can belong to a caring and compassionate community of learners in the Anabaptist tradition and become your authentic self, ready to find your calling to serve a God of love and light and make the world a better place,鈥� she said. 

How to apply

Those interested in finding their roar at 91短视频 as a first-year student can submit an online application, which is free, nonbinding and does not require an essay, at /admissions/apply/.

The process typically takes between 10 and 15 minutes to complete, says Luke Litwiller, director of undergraduate admissions. Applicants are then asked to send a copy of their high school transcript to admissions. 

Litwiller said students can receive a merit-based scholarship decision at the same time as their admission decision. Because 91短视频 uses rolling admissions for entry, those decisions can happen quickly.

鈥淚t can happen within two weeks, and often quicker,鈥� he said.