Kirk Shisler ’81 wants to make one thing very clear: He’s not retiring. At least not anytime soon. After 21 years of faithfully serving his alma mater as its vice president for advancement, he’s simply switching gears. 

This summer, Shisler will transition from his lofty perch as VP to a new position specially carved out for him that utilizes his unique qualities and strengths in a way that benefits 91����Ƶ best. He said his new role as senior gift planning advisor will allow him to focus exclusively on securing major gifts to sustain 91����Ƶ’s mission.

“We recently crossed the halfway point of 91����Ƶ’s five-year, $40 million Forward Together campaign, and I am pleased to report that we have already raised $29 million, or 72% of the goal, which puts us ahead of schedule,” Shisler said. “I look forward to increasing our fundraising momentum even more as I assume my new role.”

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus will formally announce the news of Shisler’s transition via email on Thursday, Jan. 22. With the announcement, 91����Ƶ officially enters into a national search for its next vice president for advancement.

For several years now, Shisler said, he’s anticipated a transition like this one. By passing his administrative responsibilities on to a successor, he can directly focus his energies toward the aspects of advancement he enjoys most and where he will have the greatest impact. And, despite the various headwinds straining higher education, Shisler said he believes 91����Ƶ is poised to transcend those challenges.

“We have a strong leadership team in place under Interim President Dycus, and a tremendous faculty and staff,” Shisler said. “91����Ƶ’s value proposition includes a proven track record for the employability of its graduates, who also benefit from an education that blends rigorous academics with soft skills in leadership, conflict resolution, and other skills needed to succeed in today’s work environment.”

‘An enduring imprint’

91����Ƶ’s presidents, past and present, commended Shisler for his effective fundraising, steadfast leadership, and deep commitment to the university over the past two decades. 

Dycus, interim president of 91����Ƶ since July 1, credited Shisler with “shaping a culture of generosity rooted in mission” and strengthening alumni and donor relationships. “Kirk’s steady, values-driven leadership will leave an enduring imprint on this institution and the countless students whose lives have been changed through his work,” she said.

Dr. Loren Swartzendruber ’76, MDiv ’79, president of 91����Ƶ from 2003 to 2016, noted that he had recruited Shisler twice to 91����Ƶ: first as an admissions counselor when Shisler was a high school senior, and later as president when Shisler was hired to lead the advancement division. “No university president can be successful without a person of Kirk’s caliber in that office,” said Swartzendruber. “His continuing efforts to attract leadership gifts will pay dividends for years to come.”

And President Emerita Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, who led the university from 2016 to 2025, expressed gratitude for the “enormous positive impact” Shisler had “year after year for 20 years without fail,” advancing 91����Ƶ’s mission, supporting its students, contributing to its financial health, and ensuring its donors felt special and important. 

“Without ‘Captain’ Kirk’s can-do spirit, relational genius, and organizational prowess, there is no first-ever 91����Ƶ comprehensive campaign for people, programs, and facilities,” said Huxman, referencing the Forward Together (2023-28) campaign. “There is no audacious $40 million five-year goal, half of which we raised in just the first two years. This bold and successful campaign has been the crowning achievement of his great legacy in executive administration at 91����Ƶ.”

Indeed, there have been many crowning achievements for Shisler over the years. Whether it’s the completion of 91����Ƶ’s state-of-the-art track and field complex—regarded among the finest athletic facilities in the conference—the transformation of laboratories and classrooms in the Suter Science Center through a $12 million campaign (2007-15), or renovations to the south section of University Commons, he’s always kept his eyes squarely on the prize: ensuring 91����Ƶ not only survives but also thrives long into the future.

Less visible, but just as impactful as those capital improvement projects, is the membership growth of 91����Ƶ’s throughout his tenure. The group of alumni and donors name 91����Ƶ in their estate plans, supporting the future financial stability and security of the school. “We have grown the society from roughly 150 members, when I arrived in 2005, to over 600 today,” Shisler said. “We often refer to these future gifts as 91����Ƶ’s Book of Futures. The approximate future value of these estate commitments currently exceeds $35 million.”

Clockwise from top: Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement, with Phil Helmuth and Graham Stauffer, during Lov91����Ƶ Giving Day 2023. | The longtime advancement VP speaks during a gathering celebration at Homecoming and Family Weekend 2021. | Shisler accepts a hard hat from Braydon Hoover ’11, MA ’21, then-associate vice president for advancement at 91����Ƶ, during a groundbreaking ceremony for the track in 2023.

Focus, patience, and tenacity

One key ingredient to Shisler’s success is the length of his tenure, which has allowed him to build close connections and enduring relationships with alumni and donors.

According to a from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, fundraising administrators have a median of five years of service in their position, slightly below the median for all higher ed administrative positions (5.5 years). Those figures are well below the 21-year span that Shisler has served at 91����Ƶ.

During those 21 years, he estimated, working with advancement teams and the three aforementioned presidents, he helped raise about $120 million for 91����Ƶ. Last year, thanks to a combination of generous donors and several large bequests, the university achieved its second-highest fundraising total on record.

“Those who have been involved in higher ed and nonprofit fundraising for as long as I have know that it takes significant focus, patience and tenacity to secure gifts of significance for our organizations,” Shisler said. 

Doug Mason, an advancement consultant who has advised 91����Ƶ’s team for 15 years as well as many other schools, said his most successful clients have leaders who “stick with it and really invest in the mission of their institution.”  

“Donors really appreciate continuity,” Mason said. “Having somebody like Kirk, who’s been there for over two decades, is quite unusual, and it’s been extraordinarily beneficial to 91����Ƶ.”

So why exactly has Shisler stayed for so long? He said the societal impact of 91����Ƶ’s alumni around the world continues to motivate him and sustain his commitment to the university’s mission. He added that, through the years, he’s been blessed to be part of “highly motivated and supportive teams of advancement professionals,” and that he’s continually inspired by the dedication and high-quality work of 91����Ƶ’s faculty and staff.

A seasoned fundraiser

Growing up in Telford, Pennsylvania, Shisler said his parents taught him at a young age the importance of giving generously and of tithing to the church. But it wasn’t until later, after entering the workforce, that he realized his skills in storytelling and communications could be used to fundraise for causes he cared about. The Dock Mennonite Academy alum graduated from 91����Ƶ with a bachelor of arts in English in 1981. He then began a quarter-century career at Laubach Literacy International, a nonprofit now known as ProLiteracy.

In 2004, Swartzendruber called Shisler to ask whether he would be interested in the VP position, succeeding Richard L. Gunden. After an interview that summer, Shisler accepted the offer (he started in the position in April 2005). “Loren said to me, ‘Well, Kirk, you will have served Laubach for 23 years. I’m really hoping that you’ll give the same amount of time, or more, to 91����Ƶ,’” Shisler recalled. “And here we are. With my transition to a different role, I may end up serving 23 years.”

As a result of his change, the avid fly fisherman said he’ll spend less time on the road and more time with his family—he and his wife, Mary Ann, have two sons, Ben and Andy. He’ll also spend less time in meetings as he devotes his focus entirely on working with major donors to design “charitable gifts of significance” for 91����Ƶ.

Back when he was first hired at the university, Shisler told the late Jim Bishop, former public information officer for 91����Ƶ, in a 2005 news article: “91����Ƶ is at a very exciting juncture in its history. I believe the school is truly a vehicle for healing and hope in our troubled world, and I look forward to joining the 91����Ƶ community as, together, we advance its mission.”

Twenty-one years later, those words still ring true.

The morning kicked off with a unity march around the indoor track in University Commons. Students, faculty, staff and other community members held signs with messages of peace and justice.

During an open forum event called Speak Out, students and staff shared quotes from Dr. King that resonated with them and spoke to the theme of the day, “Radical Truth-telling.” Celeste Thomas, director of multicultural student services and chair of the committee planning the day’s events, said: “Silence is not always golden, and if the narrative is wrong, we need to correct it.”

The life of Dr. King is a special model for 91����Ƶ, explained President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman in her remarks at Convocation, as the university aspires to fulfill its vision.

“As we honor King’s legacy today, we underscore the ways our educational core values of academic excellence, peace and justice, and active faith intersect at 91����Ƶ as we form a discerning community of learners,” she said.

Huxman, who is retiring at the end of the 2024-25 academic year after having served nine years as 91����Ƶ’s ninth president and first woman president, was instrumental in working with Thomas to create a day of events at 91����Ƶ to commemorate Dr. King. During only her second year at 91����Ƶ, the inaugural MLK Jr. Celebration was approved as a “day on” for learning, education, and service. 

“At 91����Ƶ, we take the full day to commemorate, reflect, serve, and take inspiration from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.,” Huxman said in her remarks. “We take the day off so we can take the day on. So, while there are no classes, there is lots of engaged learning going on. So, seize the day, 91����Ƶ Royals!”

“We take the day off so we can take the day on.”

91����Ƶ President Susan Schultz Huxman

The 91����Ƶ Gospel Choir, led by senior music major Kay Pettus and accompanied by Music Program Director Dr. David Berry on piano, performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” “Every Praise” and Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday,” a song that celebrates King’s Jan. 15 birthday.

Jodie Geddes MA ’16, an international speaker on restorative justice, author, and advocate of racial healing and justice, served as keynote speaker for Convocation. She spoke about her work on a truth-telling project shining light on the 1919 massacre in Elaine, Arkansas, as well as her experiences at a reconciliation village in Rwanda that seeks to unite survivors and perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. A video recording of Convocation is available to watch on the 91����Ƶ Facebook page .

In the MainStage Theater, 91����Ƶ History Professor Dr. Mark Sawin delivered a riveting presentation on the history of the family who lived in and operated the at  252 N. Mason St. in Harrisonburg. The five-bedroom, one-bathroom house was listed in several editions of The Green Book, a guide featuring businesses across the nation that welcomed Black travelers during Jim Crow, until the early 1960s. The professor, who serves as the consulting historian for the house, used old photos found inside the home, interviews with neighbors, and clippings of archived Daily News-Record articles to weave together stories of the people who lived and stayed there. These days, the family of Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, director of alumni engagement and community connections at 91����Ƶ, own the property and are in the process of transitioning the ownership to a 501c3 nonprofit.

On Monday afternoon, conversation circles facilitated by the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) encouraged open dialogue and guided discussion about radical truth-telling. Geddes was on hand at the Studio Theater for a workshop (pictured above) that engaged in journaling, meditation, and therapeutic processes.

In the evening, students gathered at University Commons for a special event where they could make their own hair care products.

Coverage of the day from local media

• WHSV-TV:

• Daily News-Record:

President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman has announced her retirement from 91����Ƶ effective at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. Dr. Huxman is completing her second term and will retire after having served nine years as 91����Ƶ’s ninth president and first woman president.

At a town hall on Friday for faculty and staff, Dr. Huxman said: “What a joy and privilege it is to serve 91����Ƶ every day, to run the good race and keep the faith, [but] I think it’s time for me to round the last lap and lean into the finish line.” Dr. Huxman shared both for making the decision to retire.

During her tenure, Dr. Huxman advanced the university’s strategic direction; created a more welcoming and inclusive community; sharpened 91����Ƶ’s mission, vision and values; and leaned into its Anabaptist heritage and core scriptural mandate to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:8) Dr. Huxman led the university in setting a fundraising record during 91����Ƶ’s Centennial year and is now steering 91����Ƶ through the second year of its first-ever comprehensive campaign for people, programs and facilities, Forward Together: Preparing Tomorrow’s Unifying Leaders 2023-2028. A new state-of-the-art track & field complex will be dedicated at Homecoming and Family Weekend 2024.

“Dr. Huxman has provided many years of dedicated leadership to 91����Ƶ, including stability and guidance through the global pandemic. Her contributions will have a lasting impact on the university, and on behalf of the 91����Ƶ Board of Trustees, I am forever grateful for her extraordinary service,” said board chair Manuel Nuñez.

Nuñez added that Dr. Huxman, who was elected 2025 chair of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, “has engaged with and promoted the compelling stories of 91����Ƶ’s finest ambassadors… students, faculty, staff, board members, donors, alumni, and community members.” This championing has resulted in an increased visibility and profile for 91����Ƶ in Harrisonburg, across Virginia, and beyond.

Dr. Huxman has served for more than 35 years in higher education in a variety of academic and leadership roles including as president of Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, from 2011-2016 and as director of the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University from 2004-2011. She began her academic career at Wake Forest University. Dr. Huxman has been on the board of Mennonite Education Agency (MEA) and of Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA. Dr. Huxman holds a bachelor of arts in English from Bethel College (Kansas) and a master of arts and PhD in communication from the University of Kansas.

The board will immediately move to form a search committee for an interim president who is expected to start on July 1, 2025.

Rooted in the values of academic excellence, peace and justice, and an active faith shaped by Anabaptist-Mennonite beliefs and practices, 91����Ƶ offers undergraduate, graduate and seminary degrees that prepare students to serve and lead in a global context. A leader among faith-based universities, 91����Ƶ was founded in 1917 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and has a site in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; students can study in person or online.

The event started in 2022 as a collaboration between 91����Ƶ President Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman and Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, director of alumni engagement & community connections at 91����Ƶ. It aims to familiarize 91����Ƶ students with downtown restaurants and businesses in “The Friendly City,” recently named among , and celebrate 91����Ƶ’s presence in the community.

Watch WHSV-TV’s video coverage of Royals Go Downtown !

Students arrived by the busload at Magpie Diner—owned by 91����Ƶ alumna Kirsten Moore ’93—where they munched on chocolate chip cookies and received a welcome from President Huxman. “We love the city of Harrisonburg and we want to show you what it has to offer,” Huxman told students. “We want to show you that it’s friendly, it’s welcoming, it’s diverse, and it loves college students.”

From there, they strolled over to Sage Bird Ciderworks to enjoy refreshing sips of frozen lemonade. 

Throughout the route, 91����Ƶ faculty and staff were there to assist business owners with giveaways and crowd control. At Aristocat Cafe, Luke Litwiller, director of undergraduate admissions, poured iced pumpkin spice chai lattes for students, whose eyes were glued to the 15 cats inside the cafe, all of which are available for adoption. 

Mashita, a restaurant handing out samples of pork and cabbage dumplings, was a popular stop for students. Many of the students interviewed mentioned it as their favorite treat along the route. Spencer Showalter, Mashita’s catering director, said the event helps introduce their offerings to students. “We love working with 91����Ƶ,” he said. 

At the Frame Factory & Gallery, students could pose for photos with a royal blue picture frame, custom made to match 91����Ƶ’s primary color. Shop owner Rhoda Miller ’03, MA ’20 (restorative justice), said participating in Royals Go Downtown provides her an opportunity to give back to her alma mater. 

Students at a stop in Court Square, in front of the Rockingham County Circuit Courthouse, energized by coffee from Broad Porch Coffee Company, danced to music played by 91����Ƶ’s Rockin’ Royal Pep Band and joined in an “E-M-WHO? E-M-YOU!” chant. 

Walking along Main Street, students savored a mango lassi from Taj of India, snacked on “sticky nuggs” (the name for Billy Jack’s Shack’s signature sauced chicken nuggets), and sampled popcorn from Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn Company. 91����Ƶ alumna Lisa Roeschley MA ’01 (education), who owns the Shirley’s store with her husband—and former 91����Ƶ baseball coach—Rob Roeschley, said she enjoys welcoming the students each year. “They’re excited about visiting downtown and that’s so fun to see,” she said.

The waves of Royals stopped by OASIS Fine Art & Craft for 91����Ƶ-themed lollipops and PULP in Shenandoah Bicycle Company for Japanese vegetable curry before wrapping up their food tour at Turner Pavilion. There, slices of pizza from Benny Sorrentino’s, ice cream from Klines Dairy Bar and treats from Ott Street Eats awaited them, in addition to a DJ-led dance party and greetings from Mayor Reed. 

Thank you to the President’s Office, Advancement, Campus Activities Council, and the many Harrisonburg establishments and 91����Ƶ donors for making this amazing event happen!

Their response, by and large, is that “91����Ƶ changed my life.”

“91����Ƶ changed my life in terms of values, in terms of lifelong friends, in terms of where I met my spouse, in terms of how we are raising our children,” Huxman said, echoing those answers.

“It’s one of the reasons that we get up, even though our days are very, very full, and do what we do,” she continued. “We have this incredible honor of walking with students on this formative journey in their lives.”

Huxman spoke on the transformative power of higher education and the importance of developing students as “whole people” as one of four area college and university presidents at a panel discussion on Thursday, Aug. 22. The annual Presidential Address, hosted by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, also featured remarks from Mr. Charlie King, interim president of James Madison University; Dr. David Bushman, president of Bridgewater College; and Dr. John Downey, president of Blue Ridge Community College. The sold-out event was held at 91����Ƶ’s Martin Chapel and attended by about 100 guests. This marked the first time it has been held on a college campus, and will rotate between schools in future years.

The quartet of college presidents was given an opportunity to share their goals for the coming year and provide an in-depth update to the crowd of business and community leaders. Huxman is chair-elect of the local chamber of commerce and will officially begin her term as chair in October 2024.

Huxman outlined two evergreen goals at 91����Ƶ. One of those perennial goals is to go “all in” on delivering “an exceptional student experience year in and year out,” she said. The other goal is to lean into 91����Ƶ’s five-year strategic plan, Pathways of Promise, which opens new pathways of access, achievement, action, and alignment for 91����Ƶ students and employees.

The university is in the second year of its first-ever comprehensive campaign for people, programs, and facilities, and is pivoting to raise more money for financial aid. While the school has seen its graduate enrollment increase by 50%, it has missed its enrollment targets at the undergraduate level.

“And so we are doubling down on additional ways in which we can get people to take a second, a third, and a fourth look at 91����Ƶ because we are not as expensive as you think,” Huxman told those gathered at the Presidential Address (the average net cost for an 91����Ƶ student in 2022-23 was just $15,309).

Updates

• The university has received a large amount of grant funding. A $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation supports at-risk student success in STEM. 91����Ƶ has received more than $2.5 million in grant funding for Eastern Mennonite Seminary, which supports a “Thriving in Ministry” program and Christian caregiving initiative.

• 91����Ƶ is launching a new Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Peacemaking and Social Change program. The program will become the second doctoral program offered at 91����Ƶ, after the Doctor of Nursing Practice.

• 91����Ƶ is responding to a growing need in the community by helping teachers who are on a provisional license get the education they need to keep teaching.

• The school was recently recognized for its commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students. Thirty-five percent of undergraduate students at 91����Ƶ are first-generation college students.

The Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area, with its four colleges and universities, is “an educational mecca,” Huxman said. Together, the four institutions boast a combined enrollment of about 32,000 students and a workforce of about 4,800 employees.

“We don’t take it for granted at all that out of 185 college towns in the nation, we are in the top 10,” Huxman said. “And that doesn’t just happen automatically. It’s because there is support from the community. It is the fact that we get together. We support one another.”

Following the Presidential Address, guests were invited on a campus tour of the University Commons, the new state-of-the-art track and field complex, and the Suter Science Center.

Read WHSV-TV’s coverage of the event .

The first 91����Ƶ president tapped to lead the chamber, Huxman says she wants to “give back” because she values the town-and-gown relationships between the university and its local alumni and businesses. Home to four colleges and ranked among the 10 Most Livable Towns in America by Strategistico in 2022, Harrisonburg “does a great job of welcoming and catering to college students, including our 91����Ƶ students,” said Huxman.

“It is gratifying that nearly 4,500 alumni have chosen to remain in the area and contribute to its educational, cultural and spiritual vitality. I also look forward to exploring potential partnerships between 91����Ƶ and local businesses to benefit the community at large,” she added.

The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit community organization that connects area businesses into a powerful network. Since 1916, the chamber has influenced public policy on behalf of the business community and helped the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area become a thriving and dynamic marketplace of opportunities. The chamber’s board of directors comprises 21 members from area businesses, universities, agencies and organizations.

Huxman has served for more than 25 years in higher education in a variety of administrative and academic leadership roles. She has served as 91����Ƶ’s ninth president since Jan. 1, 2017.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve another term as board chair and am particularly grateful for trustees like Glenna and Jim, who have also willingly accepted the call to serve another term alongside so many talented new trustees who have joined us over the past year,” said Nuñez (pictured left). “This continuity of service among trustees is indicative of the incredible momentum 91����Ƶ has as an institution. The five-year strategic visioning process and major comprehensive capital campaign points to a future that we’re all excited about.”

President Susan Schultz Huxman shared the Board of Trustees updates with the 91����Ƶ community at her Town Hall in March. “What a gift Manny has been to us during these pandemic years and now in this quasi-post-pandemic year.” Louise Otto Hostetter ‘79, assistant secretary of the board, added, “The 91����Ƶ Board of Trustees is happy to invite Manny Nuñez to a second term as chair. We benefit from his experienced, knowledgeable leadership in academia and commitment to continuing academic excellence in training servant leaders.”

Janet Lind works in information technology as director of integration services at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has held a number of positions in identity management, team management, project management, and systems analysis. She grew up in Eugene, Oregon. Lind graduated from Goshen College with a bachelor’s degree in music and from Drexel University with a Master of Science in Information Studies.

Lind is a charter member of Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster where she has held several leadership positions including chair of congregational council. She currently lives in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, with her family. While she has never been an 91����Ƶ student, her son Isaac Esh ‘22, husband Calvin Esh MEd ‘05, parents, and numerous extended relatives are 91����Ƶ graduates.

Susan Taylor is a 23-year partner in Just Money Advisors, a financial planning and investment management firm that specializes in socially-responsible investment strategies and community development backing. She is serving her fifth year on the Mennonite Education Agency Investment Committee and also serves on the investment committee of Natural Investments, LLC. Taylor serves as board chair for Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries in Oak View, California. She is board vice-chair for Faith and Money Network in Washington, DC and is part of the ministry mission group to people experiencing homelessness, run by her small church community in Louisville, Kentucky. Her church, Jeff Street Baptist Community, is explicitly committed to peacebuilding and nonviolence; it is part of a local coalition of churches working for justice in Louisville and enjoys several Mennonite connections.

Prior to joining Just Money Advisors, Taylor was an economist in Corporate Treasury for Bank of America. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Taylor writes and presents workshops on issues of money and faith, social investing, and intentional banking. She has been married 35 years to Andy Loving, who is the founder and her partner at Just Money Advisors. They have two adult children.

A list of all board members is located at the President’s Office webpage.

Presidents from four of the Valley’s colleges gave an update Tuesday [Aug. 10] on how their institutions are handling COVID-19 and their plans for the fall semester during the annual Presidential Address breakfast hosted by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce.

and watch .

Speakers included (from left) Susan Schultz Huxman of Eastern Mennonite University, Jonathan Alger of James Madison University, David Bushman of Bridgewater College, the chamber’s president and CEO Christopher Quinn, and John Downey of Blue Ridge Community College. (Photo courtesy of Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce.)

Balloons, flowers, cheers, caps and gowns, and big smiles…

Pageantry and “Pomp and Circumstance”…

Saturday’s sun-filled celebrations were a semblance of normalcy in pandemic times, as more than 1,300 guests attended three separate “walking ceremonies” hosted by 91����Ƶ for the graduates of 2020 and 2021.

The opportunity was particularly poignant from the 2020 grads, who lost their in-person celebration to the pandemic last year. Ninety-nine, some with family and friends in attendance, returned for the opportunity to don their caps and gowns and other academic regalia to walk across the stage.

91����Ƶ awarded 351 total degrees, including 209 undergraduate degrees, 104 master’s degrees, 37 graduate certificates, and one doctorate.

Graduates will have another opportunity to celebrate this weekend, when the formal Commencement ceremonies for both classes happen in a virtual format — on Saturday, May 8, at 1 p.m., for the class of 2020, and on Sunday, May 9,at 1 p.m., for the class of 2021. 91����Ƶ’s site in Lancaster, Pa., will host a graduation ceremony Friday, May 14. [See 91����Ƶ’s Commencement website for more information.]

The ceremonies were organized by academic schools, with the School of Theology, Humanities, and the Performing Arts getting the day started at 9 a.m. (blankets and coffee were favorite spectator accessories). By the 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ceremonies for the School of Science, Engineering, Art and Nursing and the School of Social Science and Professions, respectively, sunscreen, hats and sunglasses were de rigueur (seating protocols and seat followed social distancing requirements).

Each ceremony included words from President Susan Schultz Huxman and the school dean, as well as a blessing from a faculty member. Huxman congratulated the gathered graduates on their resilience and perseverance and urged them to stay connected to 91����Ƶ as they chart their paths and impact the world.

The smaller ceremonies allowed deans to share special messages with grads from shared academic discipline. Dean Sue Cockley of the School of Theology, Humanities and the Performing Arts offered this: “This tremendous upheaval… calls up existential questions that we in the West prefer to ignore in quieter times. What is the meaning of all of this? Have we ever learned anything from history? What will happen to us? Is there hope for justice? Is there hope for faith? How can we learn to pray again. ..You may not have all the answers yet, no one expects that of you at this moment, but you are not afraid to struggle with the questions and that is crucial!”

Dean Tara Tishbaugh of the School of Science, Engineering, Art and Nursing noted that all of these graduates shared the common experience of the need for “hands-on” learning: “Labs online, labs on campus, where is lab today? Labs distanced and spread across multiple rooms, student leaders supporting the faculty as tech assistants, as learning assistants, as tutors. We learned alongside each other. Studio and digital arts moved locations, adapted to challenges of mixed modalities-I loved the story of  continuing ceramics using clay found in your backyards and beyond. The natural history (and other) solo field trips. The tremendous work achieved by our nursing faculty, staff, and students to continue clinicals, to create new simulations, to adapt to restrictions on clinical experiences.”

Dean David Brubaker shared the incalculable need for the uniquely educated graduates from the School of Social Sciences and Professions: “These last 15 months have been among the most innovative I’ve experienced in my 17 years at 91����Ƶ… Within our school, we launched one new master’s degree (in transformational leadership) last August, are preparing to roll out a second (in school counseling) this August, and have approved a third (in human resource leadership) for fall 2022… The  Teacher Education program sailed through its reaccreditation process with high praise from the visiting accreditation team. We consolidated a new major in global studies…and our Business and Leadership program continued to prepare outstanding graduates in fields such as accounting, business administration, recreation and sports management, and international business. I can’t imagine a time when the world needed gifted teachers, collaborative leaders, empathetic counselors and skilled conflict transformers and justice advocates more than now. You truly are the ones we have been waiting for.”

On Tuesday evening, just a short time after the verdict was announced, I sent a message  to our campus community. I named the value of a cathartic, collective exhale on the swift verdict, and our shared witness around a faith-informed justice on the occasion of this historic moment. Indeed, the trial was a long-awaited step towards repair in our country’s long and awful legacy of racialized violence. 

I also expressed support of deep listening and bold collaborative action: We especially surround our BIPOC students, faculty and staff tonight with care and compassion. We commit ourselves to continuing to hear their voices, to stand with them, and to do the hard and necessary work to extend the movement to expand racial justice and equity in our nation, our community, and on our own campus. We will work together to make our community of learners more and more fair and equitable inside and outside the classroom. 

The Black Lives Matter movement has taught me many things. Saying the names of our black citizens senselessly killed or injured at a shockingly disproportionate rate at the hands of law enforcement is a powerful reminder of my own white privilege. And so again I say his name: George Perry Floyd Junior, to remind myself this is not an ending at all.

As educators, we still have much work to do. Here is a brief summary of some tangible steps our university has taken recently on issues of racial and social justice, with special attention to diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of our community of learning:

• Diversity objectives are featured in the President’s Annual Report and 91����Ƶ’s 2020-25 Strategic Plan.
• A new fund to support DEI training and related initiatives benefited from nearly $93,763 in current and pledged donor support this spring.
•  91����Ƶ’s Board of Trustees is led by Manuel A. Nuñez, professor and faculty director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Villanova Business School. The board remains deeply committed in specific ways to diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes in learning objectives, campus climate, and representation.  
• More than 10 newly established endowed scholarships and direct grants to increase access and opportunities for BIPOC undergraduate and graduate students have been cultivated just this year.
• We continue supporting, building relationships, listening to and learning from leaders of our student organizations, including Black Student Alliance, Latino Student Alliance, International Student Organization, SafeSpace, and the newly established Asian Pacific Islander Student Association.

And finally, we are delighted with an important addition to our team: Dr. Jacqueline N. Font-Guzmán. She started as our executive director of diversity, equity and inclusion just a few weeks ago, and has already made connections with our Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, and among our student groups and their leaders. We look forward to her leadership as we make our actions toward racial and social justice more concrete. 

Below, Dr. Font-Guzmán shares a short reflection on the verdict. Continue on to read reflections from our student leaders, and leaders of Eastern Mennonite Seminary and the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. 

No one person can enact the kind of dramatic change our schools, communities, and country needs. We must listen together and lead together. Each member of our university has a contribution to make. We welcome your support and your prayers on the journey ahead.

From Dr. Jacqueline N. Font-Guzmán, executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion

The murder conviction in the case of Mr. George Perry Floyd Jr. has been unprecedented in many ways. It is a rare event in the history of the United States that a White policeman is found guilty of murdering a Black man. 

At the personal level, I have mixed feelings about the verdict. Although I felt encouraged by it because it held the perpetrator accountable, justice did not triumph. True justice requires giving each person their due. Mr. Floyd should be alive today. 

And yet, I do not despair. I am hopeful that this verdict can move us to take the needed crucial steps towards transforming – and when necessary – dismantling the systems that allow for this violence to continue. There is no better act of subversion than building relationships and communities. This verdict was possible thanks to all the organizers, peaceful protesters, students, and people willing to – as John Lewis said– “Get in trouble, good trouble.”

Here at 91����Ƶ, we are committed to peace, social justice, and community. We will continue to work together with love and compassion to create an environment where everyone can be their true selves, belong, and be safe. 

A joint statement from two leaders of the Student Government and Black Student Alliance

Ma’Khia could have been any of us. In the span of two hours, our collective conversation had shifted from a tense relief that Derek Chauvin had been found guilty in the murder of George Floyd, to the overwhelming grief and anger that we know so intimately. 

After George Floyd’s murder this summer, the Student Government Association sent an email affirming protests and demonstrations being carried out in the name of justice. We also named that many of our clubs that serve as affinity groups for marginalized voices unfairly bear the burden of providing programming aimed at educating our broader campus community. Weeks later, the Black Student Alliance presented a list of demands, calling our campus community to live more fully into our self-proclaimed values of justice and peace. 

Now, after the verdict has been read, we as student leaders continue to commit ourselves to standing alongside those who fiercely speak truth to power, uprooting systems which cause harm, including those within our university. We will rage until LGBTQ+ communities feel safe, until ICE is abolished and the prison industrial complex is destroyed, until families are no longer torn apart on the border, and the ongoing Indigenous genocide is stopped.

We know that there is much work to be done. We envision a community that rejects notions of scarcity,  where justice is abundant and freedom is genuine. This is a vision that 91����Ƶ says it shares, and so we call 91����Ƶ to answer, to act: 

To create and hold spaces for BIPOC students, faculty and staff. To offer tangible support through meals and offer extensions on deadlines. To compensate the unpaid labor of those who have consistently borne the brunt of liberation work within 91����Ƶ. To show up for your students in the classroom, at our events, in this nation and this world. Show up for your marginalized  students in the ways we’ve been asking of you. This is how we live into our mission. 

Anisa Leonard, co-president of Student Government Association; Maya Dula, secretary and past co-president of Black Student Alliance

Eastern Mennonite Seminary

In the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, we believe that the mutual flourishing of relationships is essential for faith. We belong to one another as members of the human family. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the body of Christ, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (1 Cor 12:26). When one person, family and community suffers injustice, the harm impacts us all. 

A verdict from our national justice system may provide some clarity, but that alone cannot restore human dignity and wholeness. We commit fully and collectively to this restorative work: to practicing justice in compassionate relationships as a learning community and in the communities in which we participate throughout the world.

Learning how, within our own faith communities and our university community, we can truly resist the systemic racism made so visible in this moment impels us to deeper prayer and richer action. We thank God for leaders in many communities of color in the United States, and some of our own community members, who have long modeled the discipleship of work for justice.

Dr. Sue Cockley, dean; Dr. Nancy Heisey, associate dean; Rev. Dr. Sarah Bixler, incoming associate dean.

The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

The United States was built on a mixed message – all men are created equal and only white men who own property count as full citizens. The territory of the United States was created through displacement, genocide, and war against indigenous peoples and a neighboring country, Mexico. Wealth was amassed by white men who exploited enslaved peoples from Africa and violently suppressed attempts to organize for labor rights. As a country, we have struggled with these tensions since our founding. Our history cannot be ignored in our move toward a different future.

Rooting out and transforming the original sin built into the United States is a long, hard, slow process and once again we are being challenged. Do we settle for order masquerading as peace or do we demand justice that supports authentic peace, healing, and equity? As the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, we have answered that question. Now, we must actualize it in our current context. As a predominantly white institution, this work is deeply personal for each of us and for CJP and 91����Ƶ as organizations. Thankfully, the jury in Minnesota has held Derek Chauvin accountable for his actions. Let us continue our work to grow justice with humility and integrity. That means listening to and following leaders who have experienced the violence and injustices of our current systems.  

Dr. Jayne Docherty, executive director

As students and faculty wrapped up final exams last week, the 91����Ƶ community reflects on the achievement of a major milestone: completing a large portion of the fall semester on campus without a major outbreak in the middle of a pandemic. 

“I am so very proud of our resilient, faithful 91����Ƶ community,” said President Susan Schultz Huxman. “Our students, faculty and staff all worked courageously, imaginatively and generously this semester so that we could continue to fulfill our educational mission and learn together. This collective, community efforts says so much about who we are: We do indeed ‘Lead Together.’”

91����Ƶ held its traditional holiday celebrations early to both celebrate and share gratitude with students before they vacated campus Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday and winter break. Students finished one week of online classes and reading days before final exams. 

The semester’s culmination in an online format, along with other minor changes to the fall semester academic calendar, was part of plans announced in August in anticipation of the predicted late fall surge in COVID-19.

Sacrifices made for low numbers

91����Ƶ’s COVID numbers were low throughout the semester. For the weeks when students were present on campus, the university recorded 12 cases. From Aug. 1 to the date of publication, the university community had 20 total cases. [See data at 91����Ƶ’s .]

Exit COVID testing, offered to students before they left, was also an indicator of community health, successful monitoring and mitigation. Of the 94 tests conducted among students, faculty and staff, all were negative.

“Our students took the COVID Commitments seriously and were attentive to following recommended health practices,” said Dean of Students Shannon Dycus. “None of this was easy or light. 91����Ƶ students made true sacrifices in areas like recreation and relationships for the collective health of our community.”

The university initially delayed the start of the fall semester in August because of four positive tests among student leaders on campus for pre-semester training. This decision proved to be beneficial, allowing administrators and staff to make adjustments to plans in place.

The move-in two weeks later and subsequent in-person classes continued smoothly and without major interruption through the rest of the semester. Read about how 91����Ƶ faculty took on the challenge of hybrid classes.

All of the fall athletics teams, which will compete during the spring semester according to Old Dominion Athletic Conference plans, were able to continue skills training and conditioning, following strict masking and social distancing protocols, according to Director of Athletics Dave King. 

“I am very proud of the student-athletes and their cooperation with the safety protocols in place during practices this fall,” King said. “This gives me hope for the spring when we will need to be extra vigilant in our safety efforts.”

The teams concluded the semester with inter-team scrimmages. Spring semester will see all of 91����Ƶ’s teams back in action. [Director of Athletics Dave King hosted his last week to share updates.]

Successful strategies

91����Ƶ Health Services director Irene Kniss points to testing and identification of positive cases and aggressive quarantine and isolation measures as solid strategies to keep the case load down.

Additionally, 91����Ƶ had its own COVID hotline to facilitate efficient and effective response and conducted its own contact tracing. Each member of the campus community was required to fill out a daily symptoms tracker and data was monitored by a COVID Response Team, led by Beth Good. The director of 91����Ƶ’s cross-cultural programs, Good holds a doctorate in nursing and has years of experience in public health.

“These strategies will continue in the spring semester,” Kniss said.

The COVID Response team, which will continue in the spring semester, included 13 employees who took on the care for students in quarantine and isolation. They managed meal delivery, transportation, contact tracing and other health and well-being needs. 

Besides physical care, the 91����Ƶ community also mobilized around providing ways for students to combat isolation, loneliness and anxiety – all common mental health issues but on the rise especially now. These efforts from Student Life, Residence Life and Health Services, will also continue in the spring, Dycus said, “from quaranteams to spring ‘pause days,’ various activities planned by Campus Activities Council, and different student-led worship opportunities.”

Collaborative effort

91����Ƶ’s COVID strategy has been managed by a collaborative team on the Crisis Management Preparedness Team, chaired by Vice President of Finance Tim Stutzman, and by the president and her Executive Leadership Team.

These groups as well as subcommittees logged a huge number of hours during the summer and the semester, meeting sometimes daily to address issues. Much of the protocols and processes, developed in accordance with and by requirement of the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia, aided in a strong infrastructure related to public health, student life, athletics and academic plans for a safe return in the fall. These plans are currently being updated for spring semester.

“One of our successes has been the inclusion of a lot of people in their areas of expertise around campus,” Stutzman said. “That includes students, who helped us considerably in the summer with their representation on campus committees and who have shown exemplary leadership, from the Student Government Association to our student leaders in Student Life, and in various clubs and organizations.”

Stutzman and Dycus also noted strong partnerships with city officials, Virginia Department of Health staff, and other local partners. 91����Ƶ played a role in two local public health campaigns  calling on the community and university students to prioritize public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Communication was a priority from the beginning of the summer. A was launched in March 2020 and updated almost daily. From August to December, the university sent approximately 75 communications. Campus signage related to COVID was a major endeavor.

Looking ahead to spring

When students return in mid-January, many of the campus routines set in fall will continue. There will be some major changes related to testing, driven in part by the availability of testing resources. Additionally, all the athletics teams will be competing, with NCAA protocols for increased testing, as well. 

“The takeaways from this semester are substantial,” said Dycus. “We’ve learned communication practices that keep the 91����Ƶ community informed. We formed habits in the protocols that keep us healthy and are attentive to the needs of mental health and resilience that will help us maintain wellness. We benefited from our collective commitment this Fall and we are working hard to facilitate the same for our Spring return.” 

The spring semester begins Monday, Jan. 18. That day, the university hosts its annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Most events will be virtual. 

“We learned a great deal in the fall semester during what was an intense and serious learning curve,” Stutzman. “We know next semester will present its own unique challenges but the successful completion of fall gives us confidence that we are on the right track with our protocols and procedures, and that all of us, students, faculty and staff, are invested and committed.”

More Reading

• Check out the 2019-20 President’s Annual Report, which includes a timeline of the year, as well as a summary of adaptations and challenges. There is plenty to celebrate about this unprecedented year!
• Read an update on 91����Ƶ’s Cross-cultural program and how it’s adapted.
• 91����Ƶ’s virtual offerings have expanded, from professional trainings and coursework to new online degrees. View options at this comprehensive website: .

The new incarnation of the 91����Ƶ (91����Ƶ) Royals mascot will make his first appearance Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 on Facebook Live during Homecoming weekend. He’s coming to fill some (literally) large shoes left behind by the “sleek blue” Herm that Royals have come to know and love for 22 years.

But the history of Herm begins well before this passing of the torch – the Herm unveiled this October will be the fifth loyal lion to take to the court, fields, and campus-at-large. Read on to learn how our very own, very loveable Panthera leo came to be.

Many thanks to Ashley Kishorn, field hockey head coach, and Les Helmuth, former alumni relations director, for their contributions to this history.

March 1980 

•  Eastern Mennonite College basketball coach Sherman Eberly ’68 says that he’d like to see “some type of mascot” and an organized pep band next season, which would “add a great deal to team spirit.” Up until now, the Royals logo .

1981  

• Alumni relations director Les Helmuth ’78 holds a student competition to create a cartoon mascot for the Eastern Mennonite College Royals. The Royals Lion wins the competition, and a character design is first drawn by Darrell Yoder ’81 with the name “HRM,” short for “his royal majesty.”

• Gloria Lehman ’74, a home economics teacher at Eastern Mennonite High School, and Helmuth create the first iteration of the Herm costume. Helmuth said he served as the first HRM as “the headgear was intoxicating and I couldn’t find anyone to wear it.” This first incarnation became known as the “wimpy” lion.

• Rob French ’84 becomes HRM for the next three years. , “there was a disagreement between our cheerleaders and Bridgewater’s. I went over to apologize and they pulled my tail!” 

1984

• HRM is reborn as a professionally made costume with string hair.

1988

• A new and improved “Herm” enters the scene with a mane of blue and white feathers. “That was a flea-bitten old thing,” said Professor Lester Zook. “Every time it would run across the gym, those feathers would fly. It was almost embarrassing.” 

1994

• The athletics department commissions artist Henry Gomez to rebrand Herm, but “its rippling muscles and grimacing expression created controversy in the department,” The Weather Vane .

1995 – 1997

• Herm is mysteriously absent … gap years, perhaps?

1998

• The “sleek blue lion” Herm, designed by 91����Ƶ communications staffer Wendell Esbenshade, begins its 22-year reign over 91����Ƶ’s athletics facilities after appearing on the basketball court. Director of alumni and parent relations Janet Stutzman purchases the new costume on behalf of the alumni club “the Loyal Royals.” 

Fall 2000

• First-year student Rebecca Shimp, as Herm, hands out balloons for the newly-constructed University Commons. “Those big fuzzy feet are hard to manage,” Shimp says.

January 2002

• , who helps throw candy, t-shirts, and water bottles to the crowd at basketball games. Not to be outdone, “I can act stupid and make the crowd laugh,” says Herm.

February 2008

• Herm is named “player of the week” . “Herm can usually be seen dancing on the sidelines, goofing around with a referee, or running up and down the sidelines, all to encourage the fans to cheer on their Royals,” Sunil Dick ’08 wrote.

April 2009

• that Herm is suspended indefinitely for fraternizing with a rival mascot – the Bridgewater Lady Eagle – in “late night roller [rink] escapades”

November 2012

• as a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists.

October 2013

• to open the annual ResLife Olympics, in which dormitories compete against one another in “extreme” musical chairs, “Ninja” dodgeball, and soccer. Parkwoods wins this year for the third time in a row.

April 2017

• Herm helps escort 91����Ƶ’s ninth president, Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, around campus during her Inauguration Week.

April 2020

• Herm announces his retirement, saying, “my speed and agility are no longer a match for today’s athletes, and with my limited tech skills I have fallen behind in my abilities to stay ‘hip’ with our student body … I feel the time has come for me to walk away from the Royal throne and pass the torch to the next Loyal Lion in line for 91����Ƶ.”

October 2020

• Herm the Fifth begins his tenure as the 91����Ƶ Royals mascot.

Forever.

That’s how long senior Johnny Gabriel Prioleau III hopes the newest art at 91����Ƶ will last.

Prioleau, along with fellow members of 91����Ƶ’s Black Student Alliance, and honored guests Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, Harrisonburg Interim Police Chief Gabriel Camacho and 91����Ƶ President Susan Schultz Huxman, unveiled and dedicated an anti-racism mural on Monday evening in front of University Commons. The ceremony was hosted by Celeste R. Thomas, director of multicultural student services and senior adviser to the president for diversity and inclusion.

The massive street art, stretching 114 feet long, features the words “Black Lives Matter” in bold yellow against a black background. The design echoes similar artwork that has appeared on city streets in New York, Seattle, Oakland, and Tulsa. 

“One of the main goals,” said BSA co-president Jakiran Richardson, “i�� that the mural serve as a reminder that there’s still work to be done to make ‘Black Lives Matter’ a true statement.” He stated that BSA had two other goals with the artwork: “to dispel misconceptions behind the movement” and “to represent a promise that 91����Ƶ will do their part toward the struggle of our people.”

Huxman thanked BSA and its members “for leading the ways creatively and courageously on so many diverse initiatives at 91����Ƶ.”

“What a beautiful day to rededicate ourselves to peace and justice, the values that are at the core of our community of learners,” she said, quoting the Bible verse of Micah 6:8. “What a beautiful day to stand in support and solidarity of 91����Ƶ’s BSA and Black Lives Matter, a movement that began seven years ago for non-violent civil disobedience in protest of racially motivated violence against black people…As we reflect on the message of this mural, may we be instructed to live more faithfully as a beloved community embracing the grand diversity of God’s people.”

With the police chief by her side, Reed, also a member of 91����Ƶ’s Board of Trustees, expressed pride at being a part of the event and said she wasn’t surprised when she first heard that 91����Ƶ students were at work on the mural. “We are so proud of our BSA students who had the courage to work on this,” she said. “We know that 91����Ƶ students are leaders and we know that you are our moral compass for the city…you lead the way…I want you to know that you are standing on our ancestor’s shoulders, that by you doing this, it is speaking for them, so always know that and honor that.”

The brief ceremony, limited in size by the city’s ordinance and physically distanced throughout the parking lot under university health protocols, included a processional of BSA members and supporters of BSA who assisted in the painting of the mural. 

They moved to the side of the veiled artwork as Thomas read selected names of Black Americans killed unjustly. As the last notes of a sounded, BSA members drew tarps back to reveal the artwork.

The mural has been in the works since the summer, but the actual creation began on Thursday and stretched through the weekend, with contributions from BSA’s 40 members, the art and theater departments and affiliated students, and even attracting “people just coming by, seeing what we were doing, and lending a hand if they wanted to,” said co-president Merry Yirga. “It was really special.”

Yirga said the location of the mural, in a fire lane in front of University Commons, was significant. The building is a focal point, Yirga said, whether for visitors coming to campus for the first time or for students. 

“You are not going to miss this,” she said. “This does make a statement … This location says that not only does 91����Ƶ stand with us but they’re going to make sure people see it.”

Yirga called the mural “a huge step for 91����Ƶ.”

“It’s making this huge statement but years down the line, so many things will change. More Black students will come to 91����Ƶ…I think it’s difficult for a predominantly white institution like 91����Ƶ to make it feel like home to Black students and I think that’s what this does,” she said.

91����Ƶ still has work to do, both BSA co-presidents said. The mural project came as a reaction to the loss of the Royal Treatment Barbershop, a lounge and hair salon on campus managed by BSA. 

This summer, Dean of Students Shannon Dycus shared with BSA members that the Barbershop’s small size only allowed for a one-person occupancy, based on physical distancing requirements. 

The students were upset at the prospect of losing “our space, a popular place and a fan favorite, not just for black students,” Yirga said, but ultimately agreed to offer the space as an on-campus COVID-19 testing site.

This decision sparked further discussion about the lack of space, said Dycus. “We talked about other ways students could show up around campus, celebrating their identity and voice.”  

“We wanted to use the opportunity to make some changes and implement a more inclusive culture here at 91����Ƶ,” Yirga said. “And that brings us to where we are today.”

A virtual welcome, we all know, is not the same as smiles, hugs and the buzz of excitement around the start of the academic year. 

In the wake of a decision to delay move-in to residential halls because of several COVID-19 cases on campus, 91����Ƶ hosted a series of virtual events to welcome students and their parents and caregivers.

Members of the campus community, including administrators, contributed to two town halls, one for students and one for parents and caregivers, as well as a worship service, among other online orientation events already scheduled for the weekend. A workshop on racial justice, hosted by the Student Government Association and Black Student Alliance, capped the schedule.

Classes begin Tuesday, Aug. 25, and faculty are busy reaching out to students with details on the shift. Residential students will move in Sept. 3-6.

A panel of administrators took a range of questions during the Student Town Hall about new move-in plans, how the household model would function, symptom tracking, commuter student health and safety, and more. President Susan Schultz Huxman, Provost Fred Kniss and Dean of Students Shannon Dycus took questions sent in by students, with Director of Student Programs and Orientation Rachel Roth Sawatzky acting as host.

A similar event later in the weekend for parents and caregivers offered the opportunity to hear from Huxman, Kniss and Dycus. Vice President of Student Recruitment and Innovation Jason Good was the host.

“The decision was difficult but right,” Huxman explained, a necessary move, even at such a late stage, to protect the health and safety of 91����Ƶ’s campus community.

The affected student leaders and staff are important contributors to setting 91����Ƶ’s campus culture and critical to the success and welfare of the community as new students arrive, she said.

Huxman reiterated that the Virginia Department of Health and Center for Disease Control guidelines for higher education institutions do not recommend in-home or entry testing of students, faculty or staff. 91����Ƶ has implemented a daily symptom check and included quarantine before arrival, masking and physical distancing measures in addition to other health and safety protocols, she said.

[Visit the FAQs at for more on health and safety protocols.]

Huxman acknowledged criticism for the delay, but also offered grateful thanks for “the outpouring of support, grace and prayers.”

Campus Pastor Brian Martin Burkholder and Campus Ministries staff hosted a Sunday worship service on the theme of worship, welcome and blessing. Two pastoral assistants and a professor offered anecdotes of belonging.

“Has there been a time when you felt included and someone showed hospitality when you least expected it? Or has there been a time when you did that for someone else?” said pastoral assistant Naomi Davis, echoing the theme of the service. “I pray that is something we can pass on…I do hope 91����Ƶ can be that place for you, that you find clubs and spaces and moments where you are welcome, unexpectedly or when you do expect it, but that you find home here.”

The service was rich with music offerings from 91����Ƶ’s Chamber Singers and the student-led group Celebration.

Even as transition can be overwhelming, and especially such a strange one as what we’re all experiencing, Burkholder reminded listeners of the power of faith.

“We know that our life experiences, our faith and nurture has brought us to this point and God is with us. God is with each one of us. God’s love shines through and surrounds us. As you go, go inspired even in the midst of change and loss and the dynamic of an unknown future, trusting that all will be well. All will be well, even if quite different than what you imagined.”

The board’s resolution of affirmation notes “Dr. Huxman’s strategic and unwavering leadership, advocacy of 91����Ƶ’s mission and core values, commitment to Mennonite higher education, and steely resolve in facing the challenges of higher education.”

Additionally, board chair Kay Nussbaum highlighted Huxman’s support of greater institutional commitments around diversity, equity and inclusion and ability to build relationships with external and internal constituencies as “tremendous gifts for 91����Ƶ and the broader community in these challenging times.” 

“We are profoundly grateful that President Huxman has accepted the call of a second term as 91����Ƶ’s ninth president,” said Nussbaum. “We offer to her our unequivocal support and prayers, as we work together to fulfill 91����Ƶ’s mission and bold vision. May God, who has called President Huxman to this task, provide her with strength and joy in it.”

Huxman, who began her first term Jan. 1, 2017, said she is “honored and humbled” by the reappointment and its affirmation of her service to the university.

“I am truly blessed to work side-by-side with such a forward-thinking, fully engaged board of trustees and to be surrounded by a strong executive leadership team and cabinet that position 91����Ƶ to listen, learn and ‘Lead Together’ around the vital academic, social, spiritual and moral issues of our day. It brings me great joy to serve our exceptional community of learners — students, faculty and staff who live into our noble mission every day — and to champion their successes to so many other stakeholders far and wide.”

The reappointment was the result of a comprehensive assessment of presidential and board leadership, completed in the spring of 2020 by an ad hoc committee, chaired by board member Charlotte Hunsberger, and with the services of a third-party consultant firm.

Among an extensive list of accomplishments, Nussbaum pointed to Huxman’s leadership on a new strategic plan, as well as a new vision statement and revitalized brand launch. “These three key organizational contributions have strengthened and prepared 91����Ƶ for current and future challenges,” she said. “Even now, during a time of global uncertainty, we’ve witnessed ongoing growth,  innovative response and expansion of 91����Ƶ’s mission.”

Huxman’s stewardship has led to increased fiscal health, literacy and transparency, including the preservation of positive margin for two consecutive years, Nussbaum said. Huxman has also worked with passion and energy, in concert with advancement division staff, to build investment in 91����Ƶ’s endowment and to support other significant fundraising initiatives, including the completion of Suter Science West renovations. 

91����Ƶ has benefited from Huxman’s leadership in strengthening relationships and increasing visibility within Mennonite Church USA and other denominations, as well as with the City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, alumni, business leaders and peer professional organizations, Nussbaum said.

The reappointment brought affirmation from the Mennonite Education Agency (MEA). “The university is fortunate to have Susan Schultz Huxman as its president,” said interim director Thomas Stuckey, who is the organization’s representative on 91����Ƶ’s Board of Trustees. “She is a person of integrity, a visionary leader, and a person very interested in maintaining close relationships with students, staff and faculty, the Harrisonburg community and the Mennonite Church. MEA staff and board members will continue to hold 91����Ƶ in our prayers.”

Huxman expressed thanks for the support of MEA and the broader church as she embarks on a second term at 91����Ƶ. “Serving an Anabaptist university is kingdom work,” she said. “I’m thankful for my family’s support, especially that of my husband, to this call and I pray that God guides me and all of us ‘while we run this race.’”

Huxman has served for more than 25 years in higher education in a variety of administrative and academic leadership roles. She has served as 91����Ƶ’s ninth president since Jan. 1, 2017.

A graduate of Bethel College, Huxman holds an MA and PhD in communication studies from University of Kansas. She has earned the rank of full professor.