Eastern Mennonite University

During February, the Black Student Union sponsored the annual Town Hall on Race, a candid space for members of the campus community to openly discuss and gain awareness of race relations on campus, as well as a film showing of "The Hate U Give"and a talkback. BSU also kicked off a new monthly event, "The Black Box," a showcase of student art and performances hosted in the Campus Center's Black Box Theater. Alumnus Maleke Jones '18, who performs as Meechy Jay, was February's guest of honor. A special worship service that featured Pastor AJ Mosley from Divine Unity Community Church in Harrisonburg, sponsored by BSU and Multicultural Student Services, concluded Black History Month events.

Eastern Mennonite University senior environmental sustainability major Nidhi Vinod has started a Harrisonburg service that embodies the values she has come to embrace over her years of learning. Soil Cycles HVA - "Compost Collection on Two Wheels" - offers food scrap pick-up services to residential and business subscribers.

The Eastern Mennonite University University Choir and Emulate Chamber Ensemble have announced a March spring break tour to Ohio and Indiana. "Touring allows students the opportunity to build long lasting connections with fellow choral singers as well as contribute to the performance of choral masterworks and new compositions to numerous church congregations and high school students," said Professor Ryan Keebaugh, who is leading the tour.

A semester at the Washington Community Scholars' Center (WCSC) provides opportunity for professional internships in a variety of fields where students make positive contributions to the community and gain career experience. Students complete the cross cultural graduation requirement through integrative urban studies coursework and critical engagement with the Washington DC community. WCSC students experience city life, explore Washington's culture and history, study about urban issues such as gentrification, and manage a house budget and relationships in the communal living environment of the Nelson Good House.

Music concerts by student ensembles brought in the sounds of the holiday season at Eastern Mennonite University.

Duran Slocum - a first-year student in Eastern Mennonite University's new leadership and organizational management bachelor's degree program with a concentration in aviation - has completed his first solo flight. Slocum celebrated his first solo flight the traditional way: having the back of his shirt cut. Before instructors and their students began using radios to communicate in noisy cockpits, an instructor seated behind a student needed to tug on the back of the student's shirt to get their attention. The removal of a new pilot's shirttail following a first solo flight shows that he or she no longer needs an instructor escort. A resident of Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania, Slocum soloed on Oct. 19. His flight instructor is Jon Glick. He answered a few questions about his passion for flying: Why are you interested in aviation, and when did you make the decision that this was in your future? I have been interested in aviation since I was about seven years old. My grandfather was a pilot in the military and told me many fascinating stories. I decided this was in my future a couple of years ago after I got out of the military and wanted to try something new. What was your first solo experience like? My first solo was an exhilarating experience. It was a fairly calm day for wind, and I was ready to solo as it had been postponed the previous three times. It was a wild experience to be controlling the aircraft all on my own. Did you do anything special to celebrate this big step in your career? I brought my girlfriend, her daughter and granddaughter to share the experience with me, and we went out to lunch afterward. I also had my shirt cut and signed with the date of my solo. Why did you choose Lancaster at EMU for your professional preparation? It was the first available near me. It would not have been possible to continue in my education otherwise. What have you most enjoyed about the program? I have most enjoyed the aspect of flying. I enjoy the classes and the camaraderie we build at EMU within our aviation program. What are your professional goals? I would like to be a test pilot in the long term, as my grandpa had a crash during Pearl Harbor which was the aircraft's fault. In the meantime I will work diligently to get all the necessary certificates to open up my own skydiving school, as that is what I did in the military.

Cienna Stover - a first-year student in Eastern Mennonite University's new leadership and organizational management bachelor's degree program with a concentration in aviation - has completed her first solo flight. Stover, a resident of southern Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the first student officially accepted into the program, and therefore received a free "Discovery Flight," which she took on March 10. Seven and a half months later, she soloed, on Oct. 31. Her flight instructor is Mitchell Shenk.

The MA in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) program, designed for working mid-career professions, provides skills and training in conflict transformation, decision-making and strategic planning, individual and team leadership, financial management and mentoring. In the mentorship course, mentors and mentees use readings, DiSC and Enneagram activities to explore personality traits, and discuss concepts of leadership through personal stories and reflection on topics such as self-management, authenticity, experience, emotional response, and life balance. Additionally, the student participates in a 360-degree review to assess personal leadership strengths and areas for improvement through a confidential survey of supervisors, co-workers and those s/he supervises. Over both semesters, the course involves combined classroom sessions and several one-on-one meetings.

Digital media majors from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) gain work experience in internships at sites located aroundWashington D.C. while earning a full course load of credits, engaging with urban culture and history and living together in an intentional community. The internship was part of the Washington Community Scholars' Center, a residential program of EMU in the nation's capital that combines work experience with coursework and cross-cultural immersion.

Eastern Mennonite University's theater department presented Shakespeare's 'Measure for Measure' in the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater Nov. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 and Nov. 4. Cast and Crew Isabella: Anna Ressler (a junior from Kidron, Ohio) Duke Vincentio: Andrew Stoltzfus (a first-year from Harrisonburg, Virginia) Angelo: Isaac Longacre (a first-year from Quakertown, Pennsylvania) Claudio/Chorus: Yoel Bobadilla (a junior from Lancaster, Pennsylvania) Pompey/Chorus: Avery Trinh (a first-year from Columbia, Maryland) Lucio/MistressOverdone/Chorus: Christian Stutzman (a sophomore from Sugarcreek, Ohio) Provost/Barnardine/Chorus: Jay Sheppard (a first-year from Maidens, Virginia) Mariana/Juliet/Chorus: Renata Loberg (a graduate student from Salem, Oregon) Composer: Jim Clemens Set Designer: Shannon Dove Costume Designer: Rachel Herrick Stage Manager: Gwen Mallow (a junior from Quicksburg, Virginia) Assistant Director: Joseph Seitz (a first-year from Harrisonburg, Virginia) Lighting Designer: Robert Weaver Assistant Stage Manager: Jareya Harder (a first-year from Mountain Lake, Minnesota) Sound: Chris Runion (a sophomore from Broadway, Virginia) Stage Crew: Alexa Lahr, Johnny Prioleau, Chris Runion, Jay Sheppard Theater Promotions Assistant: Liz Marin (a junior from Harrisonburg, Virginia) Costume Crew: Phil Yoder, Katya Mattichak Poster Designer: Missy Mutterspruch Costume Manager: Hailey Holcomb Props Manager: Ezrionna Prioleau Lighting Assistants: Jareya Harder and Liz Marin

Ethan Sommers became the first pilot to solo in the history of Eastern Mennonite University at Lancaster's aviation program. A Lancaster, Pennsylvania resident, Sommers is a first-year student in the new leadership and organizational management bachelor's degree program with a concentration in aviation . By the time he graduates, Sommers will have earned a bachelor's degree as well as private and commercial pilot certificates with an instrument rating and a flight instructor certificate. Flight training is conducted through a partnership with Lititz-based Aero-Tech Services, Inc. Sommers soloed on Oct. 15. His flight instructor is Michael Hornberger. Students in the four-year aviation program begin flight school in their first semester and will eventually earn a bachelor's degree in leadership and organizational management, as well as several flight certifications.

Maha Mehanna, a graduate student at Eastern Mennonite University's Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP), provided the keynote address during the Daughters for Life Foundation's sixth annual gala dinner in Toronto, Canada. Mehanna, a Palestinian Muslim peace activist from Gaza, is the first recipient of a CJP scholarship that partners with the foundation.

Christopher Leiva - a first-year student in Eastern Mennonite University's new leadership and organizational management bachelor's degree program with a concentration in aviation - has completed his first solo flight. Students in the four-year aviation program begin flight school in their first semester and will eventually earn several flight certifications, as well as a bachelor's degree in leadership and organizational management.

The Student Government Association and the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CODI) at Eastern Mennonite University are partnering for a racial equity initiative on campus. There is a broad mission - and specific plans for implementing a vision for a Racial Equity Leadership Institute (RELI). An introductory forum for RELI was announced in the Campus Center on Tues., Nov. 27. The forum was cosponsored by the Student Government Association. The event will serve as "groundwatering" for upcoming cohort-based racial equity trainings, said CODI chair Melody Pannell, professor of applied social sciences. The pilot program for the racial equity leadership institute initiative will launch on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January 2019.

Noelle Yorgey - a junior transfer into Eastern Mennonite University's new leadership and organizational management (LOM) bachelor's degree program with a concentration in aviation - has completed her first solo flight. Flying solo was "a bit surreal," Yorgey writes below, but her experience in the LOM-Aviation program has been particularly grounded: "Coming from a four-year state college to a classroom of people in all different walks of life is really inspiring. One day you might talk with a mason, architect and IT expert. The passion you see them pursuing their career with and the diversity of the class provides a unique atmosphere, which stimulates conversation and various points of view." A resident of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, Yorgey soloed on Nov. 9. Her flight instructor is Jon Glick. She answered a few questions about her passion for flying: Why are you interested in aviation, and when did you make the decision that this was in your future? Since I was a sophomore in high school, I have had a growing passion for aviation. On vacation, my family and I were introduced to an aviation missions organization, Agape Flights. My interactions with the organization inspired me to consider aviation as a career. I have spent the past two years pursuing a business degree, but several weeks before business school resumed this fall, I learned of EMU's business and aviation program. It could not have been more clear that this is what I was called to pursue, and I am so thankful for the opportunity! What was your first solo experience like? Soloing is a bit surreal. From day one, my instructor had been beside me in the cockpit. The day of the solo, he hopped out of the plane and that was the moment that I realized that this was real; I was going to fly the plane. In a word, soloing was rewarding. My classmates and I have been working so hard to prepare, and the moment you roll out and take off on your own, it proves that you have the ability to apply all you have been learning in real-life situations. Did you do anything special to celebrate this big step in your career? I told a lot of my friends and family! Why did you choose Lancaster at EMU for your professional preparation? Having pursued my business management degree at a state school for the past two years, I can honestly say that I never expected to be attending EMU. Once I heard of the aviation program though, I leapt at the chance to pursue my passion for aviation. What I found so valuable about this program was the organizational management degree I would be receiving alongside the aviation certifications. From what I have observed, this entire program is structured for my classmates and me to succeed. From a personal mentoring program to a pipeline agreement with Republic Airline, the staff at EMU have worked incredibly hard to establish a strong foundation for the first cohort of our program. What have you most enjoyed about the program? It sounds cliche, but flying has been one of my favorite parts of the program. One of the things that drew me to aviation was the challenge of learning everything I needed to know about the plane and world of aviation. It is really rewarding to walk into a lesson and be able to track my progress, as I begin executing various maneuvers. I also love my classmates. Getting your private pilot certificate in a three months is very fast, but knowing my classmates are on the same track is incredibly motivating. Another neat aspect of the program is that my cohort and I take classes with a lot of non-traditional students in our business classes. What are your professional goals? Once out of school, I would like to fly for the regional airlines. My long-term goal is to become a missionary pilot.

Dylan Miller, a student in EMU at Lancaster's aviation program, completed his first solo flight. Students in the four-year aviation program begin flight school in their first semester and will eventually earn several flight certifications, as well as a bachelor's degree in leadership and organizational management.

The fall 2018 music gala at Eastern Mennonite University will highlight the university's many ensembles - and a "lullaby" requiem. The annual event is 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, in Lehman Auditorium, with a freewill offering to benefit the music scholarship fund. The first half of the concert will feature the EMU jazz and wind ensembles conducted by Bob Curry and the orchestra conducted by Benjamin Bergey . In the second half, Professor Ryan Keebaugh will conduct the combined choirs and orchestra in a performance of Gabriel Faure's Requiem Mass. The evening ranks among concerts at EMU as "one of the biggies," said Professor James Richardson , music department chair. "It's a uniquely combined effort," he said. "You'll see faculty performing along with students - part of the ethos of our department's sense of community." That community includes music majors but also other students, as "many of the people that make up our ensembles are doing it for their own edification - and we like that," he said. "We have open doors."

The t-shirts made for Take Back the Night (TBTN) events at Eastern Mennonite University Oct. 31-Nov. 2 may have been seen as a humorous twist on a milk ad campaign, but they also made an important statement, said co-organizer Ana Hunter-Nickels. With "got consent?" on the front, and "#IWillTakeBackTheNight" on the back, the shirts were a "huge hit" - and reflected the events' focus on consent and awareness. Since the 1960s, TBTN events have been held in more than 36 countries and 800 communities, first in Belgium and England and then the '70s in Florida and, following the murder there of a woman walking home after work, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to the Take Back the Night Foundation's website. The foundation seeks "to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence" and "to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives."

Professional internships are at the heart of WCSC, but the program is also a "community-building endeavor." The students live in the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington D.C., and bond through meals, grow through urban experiences, and learn to live in community with one another and in the local community, together.

Eastern Mennonite University biochemistry major Leah Lapp (left) and Hannah Walker, who graduated in May with majors in biology and environmental sustainability, studied coffee borer damage in Hawaii with Professor Matthew Siderhurst. Their research was supported by the Glenn Kauffman and Roman Miller Research Awards.

The Latino Student Alliance's annual banquet, a delicious culinary and cultural expedition, marked the near-conclusion of Eastern Mennonite University's Latino Heritage Month celebration. Six events beginning in mid-September provided the campus community opportunities for learning, engagement, worship, musical celebrations and of course, dancing and sharing food together.

Luke Mullet completes a Film Scoring Workshop at New York University in May and June, as one of just 20 participants in the chamber and soloist track.

After a year of planning, the International Student Organization (ISO) held their fifth annual ISO Gala April 14. The event served $5,628.65 to support women who are victims of sexual assault in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Eight alumni educators, including Rockingham County's Teacher of the Year, were recognized for professional excellence for local Teachers of the Year.

A semester at the Washington Community Scholars' Center provides opportunity for professional internships in a variety of settings where students make positive contributions to the community and gain vocational direction. Students also get to experience city life, explore Washington's cultural and historic attractions, learn about urban issues such as gentrification, and manage a house budget and relationships in the communal living environment of the Nelson Good House.

Keyri Lopez-Godoy graduates with a degree in elementary education from Eastern Mennonite University on May 6. She is grateful for the encouragement of many educators and mentors along the way.

The pre-professional health sciences practicum is a required course that places students in settings that match their career interests. Students gain insights into the realities of work life in health care professions.

Volunteers from Earth Keepers, an environmental organization at Eastern Mennonite University, helped with the annual Blacks Run Clean-Up Day.

If there was one thing Appreciation Week planners at Eastern Mennonite University hoped to leave out in the February gray and drear last week, it was this: the winter doldrums.

Elementary education students studying classroom management and organization are gaining real world education experience at the Early Learning Center (ELC). The ELC experience challenges EMU students to think on their feet both responsively and proactively. More than 500 alumni have gained teaching experience at the center, which has served area families since 1977.