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%.

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.”

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.”

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.

91����Ƶ announced the selection of Dr. Dycus as interim president in April after a unanimous vote by the 91����Ƶ Board of Trustees in March. The decision followed a national search process that began after Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, 91����Ƶ’s ninth president and first woman president, announced her retirement in October 2024, effective June 30, 2025. Dr. Dycus, the first Black woman in 91����Ƶ history named to the position, will serve a minimum term of two years.

Since April, Drs. Dycus and Huxman have been meeting regularly to discuss the intricacies of the presidency, engage with key community stakeholders, and identify priorities for the year ahead in order to ensure a smooth transition between leaders.

“The example Susan set for the many female leaders on campus is astounding, and her leadership has empowered us all,” Dr. Dycus said. “I’ve learned so much from the way she has moved through her role, modeled leadership, and created new space to lead authentically.”

Dr. Dycus’ responsibilities include promoting the passions, positive outcomes, and successes of the university to both internal and external audiences. “One of the critical roles of a university president is to serve as its chief storyteller,” said Dr. Dycus. “To be able to advocate, celebrate, and cheerlead for 91����Ƶ will be an exciting and essential part of my work as interim president.”

As chief storyteller for 91����Ƶ since 2017, Dr. Huxman is confident in her successor. “Shannon is absolutely the right person to lead 91����Ƶ into its next chapter. She has the smarts, the stamina, and the faith connections and storytelling gifts.”

A call to lead

After earning a bachelor of arts in middle and secondary education from Butler University, Dr. Dycus served as a high school teacher in Indianapolis from 2006 to 2008. While she loved the classroom, she sensed a deeper calling that extended beyond teaching toward spiritual leadership. She decided to follow in her family’s footsteps and enroll at Christian Theological Seminary (CTS). In 2010, she became a third-generation graduate of CTS, where she earned a master of divinity and was ordained as a minister in the Disciples of Christ tradition.

Dr. Dycus spent time as a hospital chaplain before serving as an academic advisor (2011-2013) and adjunct faculty member (2012-2017) at Franklin University of Ohio’s Indianapolis campus.

From 2013 to 2019, Dr. Dycus served as co-pastor of First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis. It was at First Mennonite that former 91����Ƶ board member JB Miller ’70 first witnessed Dycus’ leadership strengths. Miller said she struck him as “wise beyond her years” during his time as a congregant. “She leads with confidence,” he said. “There’s a gentleness to it but also a firmness that people find refreshing. She can make tough decisions and is willing to own those tough decisions.”

During a sabbatical in 2017, Dr. Dycus attended a summer program in spiritual direction at Eastern Mennonite Seminary—her first introduction to 91����Ƶ and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley. She recalls falling in love with the campus and imagining a future in Harrisonburg with her husband, Gregory, and their two sons, Malachi and Semaj.

She saw an opportunity to bring her vision to life two years later when 91����Ƶ posted for the position of dean of students. Dr. Dycus applied for and landed the job, which she began in July 2019. She served in that role until 2023 and as vice president of student affairs and dean of students from 2023 to 2024, before being promoted to vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging.

Dr. Dycus has “made it a priority to support 91����Ƶ students as they arrive on campus and to navigate barriers in their education” since 2019 when she created and led the C.A.R.E. Team, a proactive and coordinated response to supporting student needs and their well-being. Dr. Dycus helped 91����Ƶ to understand and expand its care and services throughout the pandemic.

In 2020 and 2024, she secured Department of Justice sexual violence prevention grants to fund 91����Ƶ’s Safer Together office. She has worked with 91����Ƶ Counseling Services to increase staffing and training for mental health support, and has been a staunch student advocate for peaceful responses to global injustices.

“I’ve seen so many students grow just by knowing her, observing her, and having the chance to connect with her,” said Jonathan Swartz MA ‘14 (conflict transformation), MDiv ‘14, dean of students at 91����Ƶ. Swartz echoed a favorite saying from his high school basketball coach when reflecting on her leadership approach. “Be quick, but not in a hurry.” He said, “Her steadiness and ability to think quickly and plan well, but not be in a hurry, showed up and shined through during COVID.”

That steady, people-centered leadership is something Dr. Dycus intentionally cultivates. “I’ve been trained to be present with people, to show up and listen, offer empathy, and apply what I’ve learned to shape my leadership,” said Dr. Dycus, who earned a doctor of ministry in public theology from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in 2024.

The track ahead

As Dr. Dycus takes the lead on the track ahead, her top priority remains 91����Ƶ students—specifically ensuring they have a safe, supportive environment and meaningful learning experiences. Her vision also includes maintaining a strong commitment to a values-based education while continuing to create new pathways of access and achievement for students, as outlined in the university’s 2023-2028 strategic plan. Another leadership focus will be inspiring confidence among faculty and staff while reimagining a more streamlined academic structure that supports long-term financial stability.

Dr. Dycus says that evolving 91����Ƶ will not be easy but that she is hopeful. “The role will be challenging. There will be hurdles. But hope comes from a power greater than those challenges and from people united in purpose,” she said. “We can overcome what lies ahead. What we’re building together is stronger than anything that stands in our way.”

To learn more about Dr. Dycus, visit: emu.edu/president

This article is an abridged version of the feature story that will appear in the summer 2025 issue of Crossroads.

A deliberate approach to leadership transition

“We want to balance appropriate urgency with thoughtfulness,” emphasizes Board Chair Manuel (Manny) A. Nuñez ’94. “This moment is as much about the next 20 years as it is the next two.” This extended interim period will provide time for meaningful impact on organizational positioning and academic reimagining while ensuring consistent leadership through this important transition.

The decision to pursue a longer interim presidency aligns with emerging best practices in higher education. As reported by Inside Higher Ed, more institutions are appointing interim presidents for extended terms to promote institutional continuity, implement cultural changes, and allow for thorough presidential searches, which can often take between 12 and 18 months. This approach has proven successful in attracting top-tier candidates and providing stability during transitions.

Building on a strong foundation

The interim president will succeed Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, who is retiring after nine transformative years as 91����Ƶ’s ninth president and first woman president. Under her leadership, 91����Ƶ has:

• Advanced its strategic direction
• Navigated the COVID-19 pandemic
• Created a more welcoming and inclusive community
• Sharpened 91����Ƶ’s mission, vision, and values
• Deepened the “town and gown” relationship with the City of Harrisonburg
• Set records in fundraising during 91����Ƶ’s Centennial year (2017) and saw early success in the first-ever five-year comprehensive Forward Together Campaign��
• Strengthened its Anabaptist heritage and commitment to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God”

For more information about Dr. Huxman’s legacy at 91����Ƶ, please visit our article about her retirement.

The search process

The Interim Presidential Search Committee, co-chaired by Vice Chair of the Board Jane Hoober Peifer ‘75, MDiv ‘98 and Program Director for Business & Leadership Jim Leaman ‘86, includes diverse representation from across the university community. The committee seeks candidates who can demonstrate:

• Innovative and collaborative leadership capabilities
• Commitment to 91����Ƶ’s mission and values
• Experience in organizational transformation and academic leadership

How to apply

Qualified candidates are invited to submit applications in confidence to president.interim@emu.edu by Monday, February 10, 2025. Applications should include:

• A letter of intent addressing how the candidate’s experiences match position requirements
• Current CV or resume

For detailed information about the position and requirements, please visit:

91����Ƶ 91����Ƶ

Founded in 1917, 91����Ƶ serves more than 2,000 students across three locations (Harrisonburg, Virginia; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C.) and online. As an educational institution of Mennonite Church USA, 91����Ƶ offers comprehensive academic programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and seminary levels, combining rigorous study with a commitment to faith-based values and service.

91����Ƶ (91����Ƶ) is pleased to announce that senior Meredith Lehman, from Dover, Ohio, has been named a recipient of the prestigious . 

Lehman was one of only 32 students in the US—from a pool of nearly 3,000 applicants—selected to become a Rhodes Scholar for 2025. The program provides scholarships covering all expenses for student-scholars to study at Oxford University.

The award, considered to be the most prized international scholarship for American college graduates, was established in 1903 through the final will and bequest of Cecil John Rhodes. Award criteria includes the highest level of academic excellence, integrity of character, interest in and respect for fellow beings, and a student’s ability to lead. 

Lehman is excited about the opportunities that the Rhodes scholarship will provide, intending to pursue a Master of Philosophy in International Relations while at Oxford. “I hope to someday work as a bridge builder between science and policy, particularly in international spaces,” she says.

A double major in Biology and Political Science with a Chemistry minor, Lehman is an accomplished tutor, recipient of several top academic awards, and has already compiled an impressive research portfolio with several publications under review. Her research on drug delivery systems for anticancer drugs has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

During the summer of 2023, Lehman was part of a six-student undergraduate research team in North Queensland, Australia. Dr. Jim Yoder, Professor of Biology; Director of Biology, Chemistry, & Environmental Science Programs; and trip co-leader describes Lehman as “level headed, dependable, and meticulous in her work in both laboratory and field settings,” calling her research and publication record “extraordinary.”

Dr. Ji Eun Kim, Associate Professor of Political Science, adds: “Any person who meets Meredith will instantly recognize her sharp intellect and outstanding leadership which stems from her deep commitment to working for the common good and serving others.” 

During her time as President of both 91����Ƶ’s Student Government Association and award-winning Young Democrats Club, Lehman has been a persistent and passionate leader in the diversity, equity and inclusion space at 91����Ƶ, including around issues of human rights and climate justice. She was chosen to join the President’s Cabinet in 2022-23 as “the student voice” for the creation of the university strategic plan. 

President Susan Huxman affirms: “From working with advancement to raise money for diversity, equity and inclusion grants, partnering with faculty and designers to create a sustainable fashion design course, to assisting as a legal intern for asylum seekers and elementary students for whom English is a second language, Meredith has been a voice for equity, peace and justice in Harrisonburg, VA; Washington, DC; and her hometown in Ohio.”

91����Ƶ her time at 91����Ƶ, Lehman says, “This amazing opportunity is truly a product of the 91����Ƶ community and all of its incredible people … faculty and staff have empowered me to pursue knowledge and critical thinking and to also exercise empathy and compassion.”

Lehman will become part of a legacy of changemaking alumni, including Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee MA ’07, renowned peace activist, trained social worker and women’s rights advocate who graduated from 91����Ƶ’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP). 

A leader among faith-based universities, 91����Ƶ emphasizes academic excellence, peace and justice, and an active faith. Founded in 1917 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, 91����Ƶ is an educational institution of Mennonite Church USA serving undergraduate, graduate, and seminary students of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. Learn more on the 91����Ƶ admissions website or by visiting our Harrisonburg campus.

Read emerging national news coverage on Lehman and the Rhodes scholarship from and .

Reporting to the president and serving as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, Ramer will oversee the business office, facilities, auxiliary services, human resources, campus safety and security, information systems and food service. His responsibilities include workforce sustainability—the recruiting and retaining of employees and sustaining a culture of care and vitality—and finances, including budget analysis and long-range projections.

“We are at a significant moment of reimagination in these post-pandemic times where new business strategy and attention to workforce sustainability is critical to maintaining healthy enrollments and a strong financial future at 91����Ƶ,” said President Susan Schultz Huxman. “Shawn is well equipped to provide that kind of financial, entrepreneurial and adaptive leadership.”

Ramer brings more than 30 years of experience in developing people and businesses. Known as an exceptional mentor and for empowering people who work for him, Ramer has both executive-level expertise and success across the science, technology, and healthcare sectors. His career spans large corporations to academia to entrepreneurial start-ups.

Ramer has held various global scientific and technology leadership positions at Hoffmann-La Roche and Bristol Myers Squibb, including senior vice president of information technology at BMS. Since 2016, he has worked as an independent consultant, partnering with schools and organizations to create and innovate in the areas of science and technology. His most recent experience is as chief science officer for the start-up wellness-based company Neurohacker, LLC.

Ramer earned a BA in chemistry from 91����Ƶ and has recently served the university through board appointments on the President’s Second Century Advisors (2018–2020) and as Board of Trustees chair of the Strategic Positioning and Growth subcommittee since 2021.

“My affiliation with 91����Ƶ has deep roots, and I have a deep and growing appreciation of the significance of 91����Ƶ in generating the next generation of people ready to serve and lead in a complex global environment through its strong heritage, values, and academic quality,” said Ramer. “It is in that spirit that I am excited to contribute to the future success of 91����Ƶ.”

Ramer holds a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Alberta. He was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School.

91����Ƶ has published its President’s Annual Report 2019-20 providing an overview of key events and developments, including important enrollment data, financial information, and progress on Comprehensive Plan goals.

Find the link to the Annual Report from the President’s Office webpage.

Highlighting the new brand tagline “Lead Together” and recent solid enrollment growth, 91����Ƶ’s President Susan Schultz Huxman joined WHSV-3’s Bob Corso for his weekly “1on1” interview segment.

In the 5-minute interview, Huxman situated 91����Ƶ’s current strong recruitment and retention, as well as its new brand refresh, within the current contractionary environment affecting all public and private universities across the United States, but especially tuition-dependent private institutions.  

The new brand refresh, the result of a year-long study and intensive research, found strong commonality between external and internal stakeholders about 91����Ƶ’s distinctives, she said: academic rigor, excellent outcomes, community engagement and for creating in students and the broader 91����Ƶ community “a sense of belongingness,” all important values in our “fractured, divisive world.”

“Our new tagline ‘Lead Together’ is a way of saying, ‘Yes, we are all about achievement and we’re about learning and about placing leaders in the workplace but we want to do that in the context of bringing others along.”

Huxman also noted the 2019-20 academic year has kicked off with two strong positive statistics in recruitment and retention that bode well for the future.

A growing number of students are transferring from area community colleges, including Blue Ridge and Lord Fairfax, Huxman said. The 258 first-year, transfer and readmitted students welcomed this fall are specially recruited into the 91����Ƶ community, bringing high GPAs and considerable diversity of religion, socioeconomic status and race (approximately 35 percent are of Asian, Hispanic, Asian and Native American descent).

91����Ƶ’s 85 percent retention rate from first year to sophomore shows a high level of student satisfaction, she added.

Dear 91����Ƶ community,

Like you, I am saddened and troubled by the White House decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

This program that allows children of undocumented immigrants to live, work and study in the U.S. without fear of deportation has allowed nearly 800,000 “dreamers,” (12,000 in the Commonwealth of Virginia) to contribute positively to our country and the communities in which they live. For many, this is the only country they know.

As followers of Jesus, we are committed to walk with our DACA students. They are beloved members of the 91����Ƶ family.

As a community of learners, “dreamers” have helped us become better reflective thinkers who are culturally aware and globally engaged.��We are particularly proud of the nationally recognized work of Isabel Castillo, a social work undergraduate and master’s in conflict transformation alumnus who has led significant efforts to support DACA.

As peacebuilders, we are committed to work locally, globally, and nationally in the next six months to find workable solutions that bring out “the better angels of ourselves.” As members of both parties on Capitol Hill have signaled: “These students have done nothing wrong.”

The following resources are available on campus for our DACA students:

• , director of , is available via email (micah.shristi@emu.edu) or by phone at 540-432-4459
• 91����Ƶ Counseling Center –��details are .

Designated scholarships for undocumented students are available at 91����Ƶ. People who wish to contribute may send a check to “Bridges to Education Scholarship Fund,” Attn: 91����Ƶ Development Office.

Additional insight about our commitment to safety and justice for international and immigrant students can be found in the issued by Provost Fred Kniss and myself following the executive order that banned immigration from specific countries.

We will continue to be a community that stands with our DACA students.

The final blessing, offered by Undergraduate Campus Pastor , included a prayer for each attendee, the students from all faiths and backgrounds who would begin arriving on campus that day, and — in acknowledgement of — for courage to confront “systems of racism that destroy rather than build the Kingdom of God.”

This year’s theme��—��“Expanding the Legacy, Enlarging the Tent” — emphasized integrating 91����Ƶ’s history and traditions with a vision for its second century; the conference also officially launched 91����Ƶ’s celebrations.

Strong vision

President donned three different types of eyewear during her keynote address to illustrate the “special kind of seeing we do in Anabaptist Mennonite schools … more clearly, deeply and widely.” [Listen to the .]

91����Ƶ is well-poised with “strong vision and high purpose” for the future, she said.

Merging perspectives of hindsight and foresight with Anabaptist-inspired insight, she noted 91����Ƶ’s strong and vibrant historic legacy; a robust, holistic and distinctive education that includes cross-cultural study and faith formation; and a cohesive, faith-filled community of faculty and staff.

“We have just begun to promote a vibrant future of counter-cultural Mennonite education, one that prepares our students for relevant and in-demand careers and meaningful spiritual lives shaped by the reconciling love of Jesus,” Huxman said.

While praising 91����Ƶ’s entrepreneurial spirit, epitomized in pioneering professor emeritus and philanthropist Margaret “Speedy” Martin Gehman and Alumnus of the Year , Huxman noted new academic offerings: the program, offered collaboratively with Goshen (Indiana) College, as well as the new four-year and a neuroscience minor.

Approximately 380 new and returning employees participated. The fall semester begins Monday, Aug. 28.

��Many voices

A panel of respondents to Huxman’s speech included , , and . The final session of storytelling, a much-loved tradition, included , , , and .

Special guest Donald B. Kraybill provided a one-hour preview of his forthcoming Centennial history, 91����Ƶ: One Hundred Years of Counter-Cultural Education (Penn State Press, 2017) to be released at the Oct. 13-15 .

Four breakout sessions highlighted influential programs, themes and concepts:

• — Professors and traced the history of racial-ethnic diversity at 91����Ƶ, with special attention to current diversity trends and shifting paradigms. They asked, “How could and should paradigms and power structures shift? How can and should our new diversity help us more fully understand and realize the radical nature of our Anabaptist values?” Click here to .

• Drinking in Knowledge at the Source: 91����Ƶ’s Cross Cultural Program — A panel of five experienced cross-cultural program leaders discussed one of 91����Ƶ’s most unique academic programs and included , professor and interim cross-cultural program director; , program assistant; , emeritus professor; , cross-cultural leader and adjunct instructor; and professors and .
• Creating a Beloved Community at 91����Ƶ: Organizational Culture as Blessing and Barrier — Professor discussed culture and sub-culture identities as both assets and liabilities. He invited the group to list both blessings and barriers to 91����Ƶ’s culture (and multiple sub cultures), noting that you must first understand your own organizational culture before you can��interpret for��—��and thus fully integrate��—��newcomers.
• “Thy Word is Truth”: Old Song, New Tune — Professor , associate dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, and Professor discussed “word” and “truth” as the biblical writer imagined these words, and engaged with ways that the motto speaks to��91����Ƶ at 100 years.

“The Bible commands us to ‘enlarge the place of our tent, to spread our tent, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes’ and we surely have done that today,” said President Susan Schultz Huxman to general laughter, as she presided over her first commencement ceremony since being inaugurated in early April. Among other architectural wonders new to campus this year, she also pointed out the water tower high on the hill above 91����Ƶ — a beacon for the many visitors who came from around the country and the world to share Sunday’s ceremony.

Scroll down to view two albums of Commencement ceremony photos and candids of graduates.

91����Ƶ conferred a total of 495 degrees: 201 traditional bachelor’s degrees, 153 adult degree bachelors, two associate degrees, and 13 undergraduate certificates of pastoral ministry. The graduate school conferred 109 master’s degrees and 20 graduate certificates. [In a separate ceremony Saturday, Eastern Mennonite Seminary .]

, distinguished professor of restorative justice, marked the occasion of his commencement address with a special thanks to MA candidate Gregory Winship. A training and office manager with the Center for Conflict Resolution in Kansas City, Missouri, Winship is 91����Ƶ’s first graduate in the .

By Zehr’s definition, r is “an approach to achieving justice that involves, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in a specific offense or harm to collectively identify and address harms, needs and obligations in order to heal and put things as right as possible.”

Widely known as “the grandfather of restorative justice,” Zehr began as a practitioner and theorist in the late 1970s, when he became director of the first U.S. victim-offender reconciliation program in Indiana. Zehr moved the program from probation into the community, a transition which pre-figured the concept’s development from the criminal justice arena into its current wide application across many areas, notably education. 91����Ƶ’S graduate program in restorative justice is the first in North America.

Zehr declined to wear academic regalia, though he earned a doctorate in modern European history from Rutgers University in 1974, explaining that the dress has always, to him, seemed “in tension with the egalitarian Anabaptist faith tradition and with the realities of a university.” He countered this with the idea that it seemed more fair that everyone wear, and share, some symbolic of the communal effort made by the campus and “the village” to “graduate a student.”

He urged graduates to be willing to step into the unknown; to continue to engage in an attitude of openness and receptivity with those who are different, and to answer the call, expressed in various faith traditions, “to live in right relationship – with one another, with our Creator, with the Creation.”

Zehr shared memories from his own unique academic journey—inspired by visits of Dr. Vincent Harding to his home in Indiana, Zehr transferred as a 19-year-old to the historically black Morehouse College in 1963, just months after the March on Washington and weeks before the bombing of the 16^th Street Baptist Church.

“Nothing could fully prepare me for the cultural, personal and identity challenges I would face,” Zehr remembered. “And really, nothing but an immersion in an environment where I was a distinct minority could teach me the lessons I needed to learn about myself, my assumptions and the world of my Morehouse brothers. They were lessons that continued to shape my life and work long after I graduated from Morehouse in 1966. Without them, I never would have wandered into this work that we call “restorative justice.”

Preceding Zehr’s address, reflections were brought by undergraduates Hannah Daley and Diego Barahona, voted to the honor by their peers; Melinda Bear, RN-BSN ; and John Lubkowski, from the .

In a time of celebrating firsts — Huxman is the university’s first woman president and the first to come from west of the Mississippi, among other notable claims — the week included many time-honored traditions: a hymn sing, chapel service, scholarly gatherings, a special dinner and brunch, as well as community service with Harrisonburg City’s annual Black’s Run Clean-up.

View the photo album of the week’s events below.

The Lov91����Ƶ fundraiser effectively kicked off the week, raising $106,500 from 692 gifts and capping an extraordinary day that highlighted the “love” many feel for this 100-year-old institution.

Performances by the revitalized , a rousing run of the Hitchcock spoof “,” and talks by Centennial historian ’67 were also scheduled during the week.

More than 500 people attended Friday’s and many of them attended the student-planned inaugural gala that evening, during which guests came dressed to the nines. (“I didn’t even recognize you,” was a commonly heard phrase.) Yoder Arena was transformed into a swanky, dimly lit space with festively decorated tables, an array of food and beverages, a live band, dance floor and lounge area.

Past presidents and 91����Ƶ history were memorialized with banners containing important events during each person’s tenure. (Appropriately Dr. Huxman’s banner was blank.)

Toasts were offered by Julia Ronnenbaum, daughter of the Huxmans; Fred Kniss, provost; and Evon Bergey, presidential search committee chair. Azariah Cox offered a toast on behalf of the student body.

Huxman and the 91����Ƶ mascot, Herm, were featured in an about the making of a time capsule, created by seniors Eli Wenger and Macson McGuigan. The duo toured campus, collecting items from various programs and departments. Herm is alternately hungry and distracted, and Huxman must keep him on task to get the job done.

A highlighted the hopes of 91����Ƶ students, faculty and staff for 91����Ƶ’s future.

“I was very pleased with how the Gala went,” said sophomore Nicole Litwiller, a member of the planning committee. “Matt Ruth did a great job hosting, the food was great, and I enjoyed the music! I also appreciated how students were able to interact with faculty and staff members in an informal way. I enjoyed chatting with Susan for a bit as well.”

Joining Litwiller on the planning committee of students and staff were Rachel Crist, Mario Hernandez, Eli Wenger, Brittany Williams, Celeste Thomas, Lynn Veurink and Rachel Roth Sawatzky.

The confirming confluence of diverse voices was one of those “beautiful and brazen ‘Behold!’” moments that Huxman spoke about in her inaugural address as “an awesome mystery … something really unusual and unconventional unfolding before you.”

It was indeed: Acknowledging 91����Ƶ’s 100-year-history, its growth as a diverse, Christ-centered community, and its historic commitment to nonviolence and peace, the litany, written by Professor Vi Dutcher, blended voices of 91����Ƶ’s students, faculty and staff, and the board of trustees, as well the broader community, including representatives from Mennonite Education Agency and Mennonite Church, USA, into an encouraging message of legacy, faith and Christian community.

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Present for the ceremony were 17 delegate representatives from colleges and universities, including Mennonite institutions.

Harrisonburg mayor Deanna R. Reed brought greetings on behalf of the city and framed the university’s unique role as “the very moral compass which a vast number of residents reference for social, political and spiritual wisdom and guidance,” she said. “We will forever be grateful for 91����Ƶ and the 91����Ƶ community for teaching and instructing us — the city — how to embrace, celebrate and welcome neighbors and stakeholders from all faith, backgrounds and cultures.”

The choice of Huxman, the university’s first permanent female president, to represent 91����Ƶ’s educational mission on the local, national and international stage in working towards peace, racial reconciliation and restorative justice is significant, Reed said. “I am prayerful and hopeful we can further cultivate a community even more closely reflective of 91����Ƶ’s mission, vision and values.”

91����Ƶ’s countercultural story

In her address titled “Behold and Enter the Countercultural Story,” Huxman pointed to two such “Behold!” moments and the trajectories that followed. The first was the “leap of faith” taken by church leaders to open Eastern Mennonite School in 1917 with 20 students and four faculty members in the Shenandoah Valley. Now the institution includes nearly 2,000 students, two additional instructional sites, more than 100 faculty and 60 academic programs.

A second such moment, she noted, was in 1948, when Eastern Mennonite became the first historically white college in Virginia to open its doors to African-American students. 91����Ƶ “continues to be a trailblazer in social justice education,” she added, linked inextricably to the “sacred premise that all students are viewed as gifted people created and loved by God” and to the school’s mission to “educate students to lead and serve in a global context.”

At 91����Ƶ, she noted, students experience a life-changing visible academic and invisible communal curriculum and are immersed in a series of “eyes-wide-open” moments that lead to life-changing and “counter-cultural” transformation.

“I love to tell our unfolding, unconventional story in harmony with the ‘old, old story of Jesus and his love,’” she concluded.

‘She will speak for you no matter what…’

��As the first woman invested as president, Huxman has already contributed this countercultural theme. She was previously president at Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Canada, and prior to that, director of the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University, Kansas.

A family legacy of leadership in Anabaptist higher education was affirmed in an introductory address by her father, Dr. Harold J. Schultz, president emeritus of Bethel College (Kansas). Anabaptist institutions have through their graduates a “multiplier effect,” a cloud of “living epistles” who “make a difference, no matter where they live,” he said. “Beware students, if you come to 91����Ƶ, there is both a promise and a warning that you risk becoming a changed person.”

Dr. Wendy L. Fletcher, president and vice-chancellor of Renison University in Ontario, Canada, affirmed the selection of Huxman to lead 91����Ƶ in a tumultuous and dangerous time as the tenets of the faith call for radical action and a powerful voice.

“Susan is a disciple and a leader who will be able to take this journey with you,” she said. “She is feisty; she doesn’t give up; she will speak for you no matter what wolf may bang on the door nor what shadow fall across your floors; she is smart and strategic; she is full of energy for life and good work; she is beautiful from the inside out. She will go with you.”

Inauguration festivities continue with a student-planned gala evening event tonight.

To learn more about the institution she now leads, Huxman has spent the weeks since her Jan. 1 start date in an “immersive and invigorating” tour, motivated by her goal of meeting “as many 91����Ƶ stakeholders as I can in one-on-one visits early in my term,” she says.

“Presidents shouldn’t spend much time in their offices anyway,” she adds.

Key 91����Ƶ staffers rallied behind her slogan, “100 People in 100 Days,” helping Huxman to exceed that number long before the actual 100th day, falling three days after her as 91����Ƶ’s ninth president.

“I learn so much about 91����Ƶ and its distinctiveness outside of the office, engaging students, alumni, faculty and staff on their own turf,” says Huxman, who brings decades of academic and professional experience in the field of communications. “These stories I hear outside my office empower me, sustain me and connect me with supporters of 91����Ƶ.”

She kicked off her first day on campus, making a huge dent in her “100 by 100” goal with a whirlwind introducing her to at least 30 people and a blue lion—91����Ƶ’s mascot, Herm. The day was downright frosty and the pace frenetic, but Huxman was game for the challenge, shaking hands, learning names, and getting behind the scenes of places such as the coffee shop and post office, posing for pictures along the way.

In the next weeks, Huxman connected in more leisurely appointments, including attendance at athletic events and in meetings with students, staff and faculty groups. She received a host of leaders from area churches, businesses, educational institutions and community non-profits during a special President’s Reception.

In Richmond, she joined other Virginia college and university presidents for the annual visit with legislators. She also met with local Virginia Mennonite Conference leaders and spoke at the Virginia Mennonite Conference Winter Delegate Session in Waynesboro.

Travel to Pennsylvania and Florida widened the circle. Huxman preached at Blooming Glen Mennonite Church (Perkasie, Pa.) and Blossom Hill Mennonite Church (Lancaster, Pa.), and was the keynote speaker at Lancaster Mennonite School’s 75th anniversary celebration.

Days later, she headed to Florida for a busy stint of donor visits, a board of trustees meeting and the presentation of a keynote address at the Mennonite Education Leaders gathering. This was her second trip to Florida in three months: the first days in her new role were spent at the Council of Independent College’s New President’s Institute in Orlando.

For more information about Inauguration Week events, visit

The ceremony will be followed by a reception for all attendees in the Hall of Nations on the building’s upper level. An adjusted class schedule will make it possible for all students, faculty and staff to take part.

Huxman was named 91����Ƶ’s ninth president in June 2016 and began her official duties on Jan. 2, 2017.

“It’s been a full and exhilarating two months engaging our many 91����Ƶ constituencies on and off campus, near and far,” said Huxman. “I’m looking forward to the inauguration as an occasion to mark the advent of our centennial year — to look back and take sustenance, to look forward with grand anticipation and bold vision.”

A week of activities

In addition to the inauguration ceremony and reception on Friday afternoon, special activities will take place April 3 through 8 as part of the celebration. Those open to the public include:

Student-led hymn sing featuring some of Dr. Huxman’s favorite hymns. Monday, April 3, 9:30 p.m., Martin Chapel (seminary building)

Lov91����Ƶ Giving Day, all day, April 4. Campus community, alumni and friends are invited to give a gift to show their love for 91����Ƶ. Various challenges are offered, including the Huxman Challenge in which Dr. Huxman will contribute $10 for every gift of $10 or more given by an alumnus, up to $1,000. More at

Tuesday Trivia with Dr. Huxman, Tuesday, April 4, 8-10 p.m., in Common Grounds coffeehouse, University Commons lower level. Beverages available for half-price and room for teams of six to compete and others to observe.

University Chapel, Wednesday, April 5, 10 a.m., Lehman Auditorium. The service will include a time of blessing Dr. Huxman in her new role.

Eighth annual 91����Ƶ Authors Reception, Wednesday, April 5, 1:30-4 p.m., Campus Center. This event hosted by the provost’s office celebrates scholarly activity among faculty, to include publications but also exhibits or performances over the past two years. Come view materials and chat with faculty members as they are available.

TGIW gathering with author Donald B. Kraybill, Wednesday, April 5, 4 p.m., Common Grounds coffeehouse, University Commons, lower level. Kraybill will speak about researching and writing 91����Ƶ’s history, 91����Ƶ: A Century of Countercultural Education, published by Penn State Press University Press. The book will be released in October 2017.

Theater production: The 39 Steps, Thursday, April 6, 7:30 p.m., Main Stage Theater (University Commons) — a fast-paced “whodunit.” This two-time Tony® and Drama Desk Award-winner is packed with laughs featuring more than 150 zany characters played by a small cast. Tickets are available through by calling 540-432-4582 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. weekdays.

Community service: 20th Annual Blacks Run Clean-Up Day, Saturday, April 8, 9 a.m., , Harrisonburg. 91����Ƶ hopes to involve 100 volunteers. Dr. Huxman will bring greetings at the 9:30 a.m. kick-off with the event running until 11:30, followed by lunch. .

Invitation-only events

In addition, a number of invitation-only activities are planned for smaller group recognitions and celebrations with Dr. Huxman. These include:

• A reception for 91����Ƶ retirees;
• A breakfast reception for 91����Ƶ Business & Professional Club members;
• A donor dinner;
• A formal Gala Celebration for the campus community and invited guests.

Live stream available

A live stream of the event will be available.

All details about the inauguration, including the livestream link, are available at

Greetings 91����Ƶ community,

As many of you know, this weekend an executive order was issued by the White House banning entry to the United States for people from seven countries and halting the visa interview waiver program. This decision and its consequences impact our international students, their families, and other members of our campus community, including many alumni and our global partners working with the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

This sweeping new order appears to collide with our mission “to prepare students to serve and lead in a global context.” We are monitoring this move carefully. This morning, university staff have reached out to each international student. We will continue to communicate a message of advocacy and support in the coming days and weeks.

Provost Fred Kniss and I have expressed concern to our local and state elected officials. In addition, I meet with Commonwealth leaders in Richmond this week, a previously scheduled meeting where I can now address this agenda.

Each one of our four shared values at 91����Ƶ – Christian discipleship, community, service and peacebuilding – is put to the test by this executive order. So too is our collective work to “welcome the stranger” as Jesus called us to do.

We will work carefully and diligently to ensure that we can continue to fulfill this important mission for our community, state, country and world, as well as support in our midst those impacted by these developments. Blessings to all as we navigate these new directives.