Leading a new school comes with its own set of challenges, says Ryan Henschel ’15, co-principal of Rocktown High School in Harrisonburg.

For one thing, there isn’t much of a blueprint to follow. There’s no history to draw on or precedent for how things are done.

“We’re still developing the identity of the school,” Henschel said. “And we’re creating all the processes from scratch to keep things running smoothly.”

It’s a formidable task, but also one filled with excitement and possibility.

“There aren’t as many ‘bad habits’ we need to undo before setting the tone for the school,” he said. “In that way, it’s a little easier.”

Henschel, in his first year as co-principal, leads over 1,000 students and several 91����Ƶ alumni on staff at Rocktown, which opened in fall 2024. He previously served as its assistant principal.

Originally from New Market, Henschel said the opportunity to play collegiate baseball drew him to 91����Ƶ. During his four seasons on the team, the starting pitcher contributed to the Royals’ growing success. In 2015, as a team captain, he helped lead the squad to its first ODAC Tournament appearance since 2002, when former MLB catcher Erik Kratz ’02 was on the team.

Baseball helped him grow, teaching him to manage his time, strengthen his organizational skills, and develop as a leader. It may have been what brought him to campus, but the school’s close-knit community and small class sizes led him to stay.

“I got to know my professors,” he said. “As an athlete, I knew almost all the other athletes and coaches and would interact with them. That played a huge role in making me feel like I truly belong to this community.”

91����Ƶ is a Division III school, which means it cannot offer athletic scholarships. For Henschel, receiving the President’s Scholarship, which is awarded to 91����Ƶ students who maintain a 3.0 GPA, made a real difference.

“That scholarship helped reduce the financial burden both during and after my time at 91����Ƶ,” he said.

Henschel chose to major in math education because he “really enjoyed math.” “You don’t hear that a lot,” he said. “It came easier to me than other subjects, and I could help other students learn math, which gave me great joy.”

After graduating from 91����Ƶ in 2015, Henschel taught math at Harrisonburg High School until 2023, when he was named assistant principal. When Rocktown opened the following year, he joined the new school as assistant principal. Henschel, who has a master’s degree in education from James Madison University, became Rocktown’s co-principal last fall.

His wife, Rachel Richard Henschel ’15, a teacher at Spotswood Elementary School, is also an alum of 91����Ƶ’s acclaimed teacher education program. He credits the program, and its immediate, hands-on experiences, with preparing teachers to serve and lead in the classroom.

During his first semester at 91����Ƶ, an introduction to teaching course placed him in a local school practicum, where he could quickly translate course theory into practice.

“That’s when I fell in love with teaching,” he said.

Since welcoming students two years ago, Rocktown has earned awards across a wide range of categories, from its innovative architecture and cardiac arrest preparedness to its music education and athletics programs.

“As a new school,” said Henschel, “we’re currently in the exciting phase of cultivating a culture of excellence and seeing our students reach their full potential.”

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov91����Ƶ Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91����Ƶ students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

Olga Salama, a first-year biology major who came to the United States through refugee status, grew up in Burundi, East Africa, where access to affordable health care and education was limited. It’s also where she found her passion and her purpose.

The oldest of eight, she would take her younger siblings to school. One day, as she dropped off the tuition check to pay for their education, she overheard a mother asking whether her child, who had an intellectual disability, could attend classes with the other children.

“She was denied,” said Salama. “She was told, ‘This would be too difficult, and that little child would be too difficult for the other children.’”

“I kind of understood it,” she added, noting that many cultures in Africa lack support for people with disabilities. “But, for me, that didn’t seem right.”

That experience drew her to study biology and fuels her passion for improving the lives of others. Her dream is to graduate from medical school and become a pediatrician.

“When you save the life of a child, you save the future,” she said. “When a child is surrounded by good people, that affects how they grow.”

Salama and her family arrived in the U.S. in July 2021. At the time, she spoke Swahili and French, but no English. She quickly became a rising star at Charlottesville High School, where she received the top scholarship from the . Past recipients include Sandra Day O’Connor and Caroline Kennedy. 

As a high school senior, the first-generation college student applied to nine schools. Each of them could guide her toward her passion. Each of them offered her substantial financial aid packages. But, only one of those schools had values that matched her own, and that was 91����Ƶ. 

“My high school counselors told me I could go anywhere I wanted, because I had all this scholarship support,” said Salama. “I had to choose where I saw myself thriving and being impacted the most, and 91����Ƶ was that place for me.”

She said she was struck by how friendly and communicative everyone was at 91����Ƶ, from her admissions counselor and professors to fellow students. “People are there for you,” she said. “Everyone’s welcoming.”

She added that, out of the nine schools she applied to, only one of them, 91����Ƶ, sent her a card for her birthday. “That was different, and was beyond my expectations,” Salama said. “That’s the sign of a place that cares.”

Like the 100% of undergraduate students at 91����Ƶ who receive financial aid, Salama is the recipient of numerous awards, including the highly selective President’s Scholarship. 

“I knew I wanted to go to college and, although I had a little bit of fear about the financial part, I trusted that God was going to provide,” said Salama. “If he called me to do this, then he will provide.”

Your support helps students like Olga pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov91����Ƶ Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91����Ƶ students. On April 1, let’s show that our generosity knows no bounds…for the record!

As a native of Waterloo, Ontario, 91����Ƶ sophomore Willem Hedrick ’27 often hears the same question: “Why would you choose to attend a university in the U.S. when tuition is so much cheaper in Canada?” people ask him. 

The answer is that 91����Ƶ isn’t just any university. Its unparalleled emphasis on academic excellence, peace & justice, and active faith was the unique blend of values that Hedrick was looking for in a school. 91����Ƶ’s robust Visual and Communication Arts (VACA) department, its small class sizes and personalized approach to hands-on learning, its strong sense of community—not to mention its top-flight disc golf team—made 91����Ƶ more than just a place for him to continue his learning; it was the only place.

“91����Ƶ was the only school I applied to,” said Hedrick, who is majoring in digital media with a minor in marketing. “I didn’t look anywhere else.”

From a young age, Hedrick discovered a way to combine his love of video games with a passion for making videos. The 11-year-old would record himself playing Minecraft on his computer and upload the videos to YouTube. He still does that, but now on a much grander scale. Today, his channel boasts more than eight million subscribers (for reference, the YouTube channel for the Red Hot Chili Peppers has 8.1 million subscribers), which is part of the 15 million followers who watch his content across various platforms. 

Hedrick said his digital media classes at 91����Ƶ have taught him new skills, including how to shoot documentary films, record better audio, and use proper lighting techniques. Last semester, through a weekend workshop at 91����Ƶ, he became a certified commercial drone pilot. It’s something, he said, he’s wanted to do “for the longest time.”

“Being in a classroom, having a professor there to give me feedback, and having projects to hold me accountable has been so helpful,” he said.

Outside of the classroom, Hedrick found a sense of belonging on the disc golf course. He was a member of last year’s squad that competed at nationals and will return with the team to Rock Hill, South Carolina, this year as it competes at the 2025 College Disc Golf National Championship in April.

Hedrick, who was raised Mennonite, had considered taking a gap year after graduating from high school (Rockway Mennonite Collegiate) to devote more time to his video projects. It wasn’t until his parents, 91����Ƶ grads Tim and Janice ’94, suggested he take a look at their alma mater that he thought seriously about higher education. 91����Ƶ awarded him the President’s Scholarship, which has significantly helped bring his college costs down. It’s not quite to the same level as the cost of college in Canada, but it’s close enough.

“It definitely made my decision to come here much easier,” Hedrick said about his scholarships. (He is also a VACA scholarship recipient.)

Your generous support helps students like Hedrick pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov91����Ƶ Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91����Ƶ students. Together, we can help write 91����Ƶ’s next chapter. 

Harrisonburg, Virginia, native Julie Weaver ’24 has Royal blue in her blood.

Her grandfather, Samuel O. Weaver, graduated from Eastern Mennonite College and led Eastern Mennonite High School as its principal for more than a decade. Her grandmother graduated from EMHS and attended EMC. Her parents are EMC alumni. When it was her turn to attend college, the EMHS grad wasn’t so sure she wanted to follow in their footsteps. 

“I really liked 91����Ƶ,” Weaver said, “but I thought, ‘Do I want to go to a school on the same block I’ve been on for the past four years?’”

After visiting several colleges, including four trips to 91����Ƶ, she had no doubt about it — she belonged here.

“At 91����Ƶ, people took an interest in me. They wanted to get to know me,” said Weaver, who recalled forging new friendships during an overnight visit, even while brushing her teeth. “At other colleges I visited, the only one who talked to me was the person hosting me in the dorms.”

The senior biology major said 91����Ƶ’s small class sizes allow for personalized support from faculty, which was helpful for her more demanding STEM courses.

“The professors really care about you,” Weaver said. “I had trouble understanding a concept and my professor spent 45 minutes with me after class explaining it in different ways on the whiteboard until I understood it.”

Another benefit of attending 91����Ƶ is the wealth of scholarships and financial aid available to students. Weaver is in the honors program and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the highly selective President’s Scholarship. 

“It pays for a hefty portion of my tuition, which has been a huge blessing,” she said. “Having the support of scholarships means a lot when I’ll be going into tens of thousands of dollars, if not over $100,000 in debt for my doctorate.”

After graduating in May, she’s headed to Richmond where she’ll be earning a doctorate in physical therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University. She’s heard the three-year program can be a grind, but is confident 91����Ƶ has prepared her well. The lessons learned in her advanced anatomy class and in the campus cadaver lab will prove especially invaluable for the seven straight weeks of anatomy class ahead of her this summer. 

“It’s been a journey,” Weaver said. “One chapter is ending, but the next one is starting.”

Your generous support helps students like Weaver pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 8th annual Lov91����Ƶ Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91����Ƶ students. Let’s build 91����Ƶ “Stronger Together.”

Read the previous profiles in our Why they Lov91����Ƶ������������: