Eastern Mennonite University

The Hubert R. and Mildred Pellman Scholarship honors full-time students in EMU's language and literature department, with preference to English majors.

Ten graduating seniors are Eastern Mennonite University's 2026 Cords of Distinction recipients. They will wear blue and gold cords signifying their achievement during the 2026 Commencement. A special ceremony honoring the recipients will be held on Friday, April 24, at 10:10 a.m. in Martin Chapel. The Cords of Distinction Award honors the efforts of up to 10 graduating students each year who have made outstanding contributions to the university, community, or society. It was established in 2000 to recognize and honor graduates who have demonstrated creative learning and achievement, exemplary leadership and engagement across communities, and a commitment to the values of the university: academic excellence, peace and justice, and active faith.

The Judy H. Mullet Award for Internship Excellence honors EMU students with outstanding and consistent performance in a psychology internship with exceptional independent work in establishing a unique field placement experience.

Two EMU psychology students were awarded the Galen R. Lehman Outstanding Achievement in Research Award. Both had exceptional designs, data collection and interpretation of results in their research.

The Outstanding Student in Music Award honors students for leadership, service, music performance and music scholarship.

Eastern Mennonite University's Outstanding Senior in Computer Science Award is given by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at EMU.

Eastern Mennonite University's Outstanding Senior in Engineering Award is awarded by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate/s demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at EMU.

The Ernest G. Gehman Scholarship is for foreign language majors with a qualifying GPA.

Eastern Mennonite University's Outstanding Senior in Mathematics Award is given by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at EMU.

Jessica Chisolm and Joseph Whetzel were awarded the Esther Eby Glass Scholarship.

The Leroy Pellman/Elizabeth Lauver Scholarship is for full-time students with interest in the humanities who are preparing to make teaching a vocation.

Omar and Anna Kathryn Eby Scholarship honors a student majoring or minoring in Writing Studies who demonstrates excellence in writing, critique, and support. Professor Emeritus Omar Eby published thirteen books and numerous articles and short stories, some honoring his conservative Mennonite past in Maryland. Generations of EMU students revere him for his realism, sometimes uncomfortable honesty, delightful irreverence and sincere caring for others.

The Omar Eby Writing Award is presented to a senior majoring or minoring in writing studies who demonstrates excellence in the craft of creative writing and who provides insightful critique and support for other writers in creative workshops.

The Ervie L. Glick Award for Excellence in World Language Study honors the senior and/or junior who has exhibited academic excellence as a Spanish major and has shown a clear sense of call to pursuing graduate work or using his/her language degree in service to the church.

Paige Hurley was named EMU's History and Political Science Outstanding Student. She was recognized for exemplary service and scholarship.

The Ray Elvin Horst Award for Excellence in Spanish honors a junior or senior who has exhibited academic excellence in Spanish courses. Spanish Faculty Emeritus Horst was known for his unique and innovative teaching methodologies and taught at both the high school and college levels during his illustrious career.

The Carroll Yoder Award for Teaching Excellence honors an EMU senior or junior who has demonstrated academic excellence in both literary studies and education courses and has shown a clear call to the teaching profession. Professor Emeritus Carroll Yoder, who taught French, English, and writing, along with mentoring many aspiring teachers, provided his students and colleagues with a powerful example of scholarship in service to others during his thirty-four years in the Language and Literature Department.

Education department faculty honors a student annually with the Courage to Teach Award, modeled after principles in Parker Palmer's book of the same name.

Jaylon Lee was named Outstanding Recreation and Sports Management Senior by Eastern Mennonite University's Business and Leadership Department. The award is based on academic prowess, service to the university and community, promise in the field and leadership capabilities.

Max Driver was awarded the Outstanding Research Award from Eastern Mennonite University's Business and Leadership Department. The award is based on exceptional research, as well as academic prowess, service to the university and community, promise in the field and leadership capabilities.

EMU faculty selected Skylar Hedgepeth for the Virginia Woman's Scholar Award from the Virginia State Organization of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. The award is for an outstanding graduate with the promise of being a key woman educator.

Isaac Longacher was awarded the Outstanding Marketing Senior Student Award from Eastern Mennonite University's Business and Leadership Department. The award is based on academic prowess, service to the university and community, promise in the field and leadership capabilities.

Verda Zook was awarded the Outstanding Accounting Senior Student Award from Eastern Mennonite University's Business and Leadership Department. The award is based on academic prowess, service to the university and community, promise in the field and leadership capabilities.

Max Driver was awarded the Outstanding Business Administration Senior Student Award from Eastern Mennonite University's Business and Leadership Department. The award is based on academic prowess, service to the university and community, promise in the field, and leadership capabilities.

The award is based on academic prowess, service to the university and community, promise in the field and leadership capabilities.

This award recognizes a junior or senior student who has shown exceptional performance in independent research project(s). This award acknowledges a student in any area of chemistry or biology who has shown outstanding accomplishments in scientific research, and who shows promise as a scientific researcher. Consideration is given to scholarship across the entire EMU career, both at EMU and at other institutions. Projects generally must be multi-year endeavors to demonstrate depth of scholarship. Students should show initiative, integrity, knowledge of the subject and high technical aptitude in all stages of a quality scientific project. Particular consideration is given to research that results in presentations or co-authorship of manuscripts (or that show promise of such).

Eastern Mennonite University's Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sustainability Department's Award for Exceptional Service recogizes students for their donation of time and effort to the biology and chemistry programs as they work to create a welcoming, equitable and fair learning environment for all students.

This award is given to the top first year students upon completion of General Chemistry I and II. The intention is to recognize excellence in the first year of chemistry. The recipient is a STEM major, who is chosen by the instructors of General Chemistry. Recommendation for this award is based on academic performance which is evidenced by grades, collegiality, initiative, enthusiasm, and understanding of concepts.

Isaac Alderfer, of Broadway, Va., won second place in Eastern Mennonite University's Haverim Writing Contest for his exploration of the industrialization of food production and his argument that a turn toward agroecology could offer a form of food production that pays attention to both social and environmental justice. The annual Haverim Writing Awards are given to students whose essays demonstrate robust scholarship related in one way or another to biblical studies, religion, philosophy, and/or Anabaptist/Mennonite thought and practice. Cash awards of $300, $200, and $100 for first, second and third place, respectively, come with the prize.

Jake Myers won third place in Eastern Mennonite University's Haverim Writing Contest for his history of monasticism in Ireland and effects on surrounding communities. The annual Haverim Writing Awards are given to students whose essays demonstrate robust scholarship related in one way or another to biblical studies, religion, philosophy, and/or Anabaptist/Mennonite thought and practice. Cash awards of $300, $200, and $100 for first, second and third place, respectively, come with the prize.