A new album of original compositions from Dr. David Berry, associate professor of music and chair of the music department at 91����, brings the melodies of African American spirituals into the classical piano tradition.

The album, Spirit, Body and Soul: Concert Spirituals for Solo Piano, was released Sept. 4 through the Grammy Award-winning Navona Records label. It is available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. 

The nine-track album features Berry’s solo piano compositions based on beloved spirituals such as “Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho,” “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” “Go Down, Moses,” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” as well as a special improvisation on “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

“These are songs I’ve known practically my whole life,” Berry said. “All of this music has deep meaning for me, and so it’s definitely been an engaging and emotional process writing these pieces, contemplating the lyrics of these spirituals, and interpreting them in sound.”

Berry began working on the project in November, shortly before his sabbatical last semester. He had already written several of the pieces for recitals and other performances at 91���� and seen how popular they were. When people began asking where they could find recordings of his reimagined spirituals, he saw an opportunity to turn them into his solo debut album. He recorded the tracks in January at GBH Fraser Performance Studio in Boston.

Berry’s style, praised as “touchingly introspective” by Gramophone, blends the power, sweep, and virtuosity of the classical piano tradition with elements of various Black music styles, according to the album’s description.

“These songs came organically from my soul and from all the music that lives in me,” Berry said. “You hear the influences of composers like Liszt and Rachmaninoff, but you also hear the sound of the blues, of gospel music, and jazz.”

The result, Berry said, is “a human journey of emotion.”

“Those feelings we carry with us of perseverance through adversity, sorrow, grief, joy, isolation, community, all of those things,” he said. “Every sort of feeling you can imagine is in these spirituals. And that’s what the title tries to encapsulate: Spirit, Body and Soul. Those are the ingredients for this project.”

Album release concert

An album release concert on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at 91����’s Lehman Auditorium will feature Berry’s piano compositions alongside vocal performances from local singers he has worked with in the Harrisonburg area.

This concert is sponsored by , who will be providing a special Yamaha CSX 9-foot concert grand piano for the concert in collaboration with  of Frederick, Maryland.

“It’ll be a fun celebration of my work as an artist, but also of how this project was birthed through this community,” he said.

Berry plans to release the sheet music for his compositions at .

For more information about the album, visit .

Hear Dr. Berry talk about the inspiration behind “Spirit, Body and Soul.”

Dr. Megan Moran, assistant professor of environmental science
Dr. Moran is a wildlife ecologist who completed her master’s degree in environmental science at Christopher Newport University and her PhD in fish and wildlife conservation at Virginia Tech, where her research focused on wildlife population and disease dynamics, with a particular emphasis on bats affected by white-nose syndrome. Using long-term acoustic monitoring and spatial modeling methods, she investigates patterns of bat occupancy, activity, and persistence across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Her work aims to better understand how bat populations are responding to disease and changes in their environment and how long-term monitoring can help inform wildlife conservation. 

Dr. Andrea Nord, associate professor of biology
Dr. Nord earned her BA at Goshen College and her MS and PhD in ecology from Penn State University. She and her husband spent three years in Honduras with Mennonite Central Committee, working on community environmental concerns at the village level. She comes to 91���� with 13 years of teaching environmental biology at Greenville University, and with her husband has co-taught summer courses in forest ecology and sustainable tropical agriculture courses for the Au Sable Institute for nine years. Her favorite part of teaching is getting students outside into God’s creation.

For more information about 91���� Natural Sciences, visit emu.edu/biology.

The program, A Seminary for Every Congregation, will bring theological education and resources to the congregations at no cost. It will run through December 2030 with support from the Lilly Endowment’s Seminary Extended grant. Ethan King, project coordinator for the grant, said the seminary will partner with each congregation around “a central holding question.”

“That could be anything from ‘We’re looking to start a renovation of our grounds and we’re trying to think about the theological dimensions of placemaking’ to ‘We’ve had an influx of children at our church and want to think about reformatting around being an intergenerational church,’” King said.

“The seminary would come alongside a church, its pastor, and some of its layleaders for a year and help them explore their question, connect them with resources, and bring them a baseline education around community organizing, trauma-informed care, and leadership through tension and conflict resolution,” he added.

King said the partnership will offer research opportunities for seminary students and internships for students pursuing a master of divinity degree. “It will also help our seminary learn from people who are on the ground doing day-to-day ministry to inform our coursework,” he said.

“We’re looking to build a network of collaboration and relationships,” King said. “Hopefully it will cut down on some of the pastoral isolation and burnout we’ve seen in our research.”

For more information about the program, including for pastors interested in getting involved, contact King at ethan.king@emu.edu.

New DMin program

Funded through Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow initiative, Seminary Extended: Strengthening Pastoral Leadership supports a collaborative partnership between Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

The grant also supports a new Doctor of Ministry in adaptive leadership program, expected to launch at all three seminaries in 2027. Students in the joint degree program will have access to shared resources, coursework, and projects across the three schools.

Additionally, the grant funds three new shared faculty members to teach students from all three schools.

King joins seminary staff

King began his new role as project coordinator in June. The Harrisonburg native holds a master’s degree in theological studies from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and bachelor’s degrees in religion and philosophy, political science, and economics from Emory & Henry University.

For the past four years, he worked in outreach and communications for the Church of the Nazarene in Harrisonburg. He said the experience gave him a unique perspective on ministerial work and the rigors that pastors face on a daily basis.

“When this grant opportunity came along, focused on connecting pastors with resources and training and education that is practically and contextually significant to their ministry, I thought it sounded like a great program and wanted to get involved,” King said.

“We are delighted to have Ethan coordinating our collaborative initiatives to foster theological formation in local faith communities,” said the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. “He brings a keen understanding of the realities facing pastors and congregations, along with a hope-filled passion for equipping them to impact their communities in concrete ways. We are eager to see how God’s Spirit will move among us all.”

Faculty and staff members gathered for the Fall 2026 Faculty and Staff Conference from Aug. 18-19. Many returned to campus after a restful and restorative summer, while others joined the 91���� community for the first time.

Hosted by the offices of the president and the provost, the conference cultivates community at the start and close of each academic year and provides space for faculty and staff to reconnect, welcome new colleagues, engage with thought-provoking ideas, and share in conversation and fellowship.

“I hope this conference leaves us not only informed, but inspired, connected, and ready to do the work ahead together,” said Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president for academic affairs. 

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president for academic affairs, catches up with Dr. Jamie Mak, assistant vice president of academic and program growth for 91���� at Lancaster, and M. Esther Showalter, instructor of Spanish language and Hispanic studies.

LEFT: President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus presents the presidential address at the Fall 2026 Faculty and Staff Conference on Aug. 18. RIGHT: Kirk Shisler ’81, senior gift planning advisor, chats with Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president of enrollment and marketing, and Christopher Jones, director of marketing and communications, at the conference.

The conference kicked off with an address from the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, who officially became 91����’s 10th president on July 1. She called on those gathered at Martin Chapel to find the courage to “build a university our mission calls us to become.”

“This means…we become more aligned across a shared purpose, less defined by our individual areas, and more connected by the students and communities we are here to serve,” she said. 

Dycus shared encouraging enrollment news, announcing historically high numbers of applications and admitted students to 91����. The incoming first-year class is projected to be between 10-15% larger than last year’s class. Of those students, 43% are student-athletes, 52% identify as students of color, 55% identify as first-generation college students, and 78% are from Virginia.

“This tells us something important: students and families are seeing value in what 91���� offers and they are choosing us,” she said.

As 91���� moves into the third year of its five-year Forward Together Campaign, it has secured $33.5 million of its $40 million goal. Alumni participation, which has been declining nationally and at 91����, has taken an upward turn, Dycus said, citing a number of new estate commitments and corporate unrestricted giving.

“Let’s make this year one that we get serious about retention, clear-eyed about our finances, and build a bold future that we can together be proud of and continue supporting,” she said. 

LEFT: Faculty and staff members connect during a coffee break. RIGHT: Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz ’81 leads a plenary session during the first day of the conference.

The conference theme, “Power & Equity: Power is a Verb,” built on this year’s university theme and offered an honest look at how power moves through a university and what it means to hold it responsibly.

Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz ’81 led a plenary session on “Faith, Power & Belonging.” She serves as denominational minister for peace and justice for Mennonite Church USA, where she resources conference ministers, conferences, and pastors and coordinates peacebuilding initiatives throughout the denomination. Prior to joining MC USA, she spent more than 25 years coordinating Mennonite Central Committee’s Restorative Justice program. She has a BSW from 91���� and an MSW from Marywood University (Scranton, Pennsylvania).

She led participants to reflect on their own social identities, power, and privilege and where they fall within each dimension.

“As leaders and educators, I think one of our highest responsibilities is ensuring that every student who arrives here in a state of uncertainty finds the same power to reshape their story,” she said.

LEFT: Faculty and staff members connect over a coffee break held in the lower level of Suter Science Center. RIGHT: Luke Litwiller ’19, MATL ’24, director of undergraduate admissions, presents a learning session on workflow and AI.

The second day of the conference began with a coffee break and welcome ceremony recognizing the faculty and staff members who have joined 91���� in the past year. 

“We are so glad you are here,” Dycus told them. “You bring gifts, experiences, perspectives, questions, and possibilities that we need.”

Faculty and staff members participated in a variety of learning sessions throughout the day, with topics ranging from AI and campus safety to student mental health and employee satisfaction.

At a faculty learning session held in Suter Science Center 106, Dr. Paul Dean, professor of sociology and department chair at Ohio Wesleyan University, led a presentation on “Understanding Class Cultures: A Two-Pronged Approach to Supporting Working-Class, First-Gen Students.” Dean is an award-winning instructor and author of several books whose work focuses on class inequality and the experiences of first-generation students.

At another session, Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president of enrollment and marketing, presented on “Enrollment Literacy: How Every Faculty and Staff Member Can Help Grow 91����’s Future.” He provided an overview of the higher education environment, including some of the threats that small, private colleges and universities face.

“Students expect personalization and immediacy, and that’s where small schools like 91���� can shine,” he said. “Unlike our big public counterparts, we engage directly with students and their parents.”

Visiting campus is among the strongest predictors of enrollment. 91���� offers a $1,000 Visit Grant, renewable for up to four years, for students who visit campus before Jan. 1 and enroll in fall 2027. Eligible students can receive up to $4,000 over four years.

One student who visited 91���� this year had the opportunity to meet Cyndi Gusler, professor of art, who guided her through a one-hour watercolor session.

“That made the difference for her,” Hoover said. “She was applying to 10 schools all around Virginia, and because Cyndi took the time to sit with her, talk about her goals, and do something engaging, that student made the choice to come to 91����.”

The conference wrapped up with a couple of hours of activity time. Faculty and staff members could enjoy frozen treats from Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard and play basketball, pickleball or disc golf, walk on the 91���� track, or knit and crochet.

Eighty-five percent of 91���� students graduate with an experience aligned with their major, President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus told a roomful of business and community leaders gathered for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce’s annual Presidential Address on Aug. 20. 

“That means that, early in their time with us, students are doing clinicals, completing placements in classrooms, and working in internships, where they get exposure to many of your businesses,” she said. “For many of them, that translates into jobs. …It’s not just senior year when they’re submitting their resumes that they encounter some of your businesses.”

91���� President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus addresses a crowd of business and community leaders while Dr. David Bushman, president of Bridgewater College, looks on.

Enrollment growth

Seated on stage with the presidents of James Madison University, Bridgewater College, and Blue Ridge Community College, Dycus shared some of the exciting initiatives and updates happening at 91����, including the growth of its incoming first-year class. Building on momentum from its enrollment and marketing efforts, 91����’s Class of 2030 is projected to be between 10-15% larger than last year’s incoming class.

“This incoming class we are about to welcome is more diverse than we have ever seen before,” she said.

Of the class entering 91���� this fall, 52% identify as students of color, 55% identify as first-generation college students, and 78% hail from Virginia. 

“We are seeing students who are from the region, who are coming to us and are able to see our institution as an access institution, as a way to say, ‘I want to advance my career, my family’s career, and the opportunities that are available to us,’” Dycus said.

Those attending the event, held at JMU’s Atlantic Union Bank Center, included 91���� leaders Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21 (above), vice president of enrollment and marketing, and Nathan Leopard (below left), vice president for advancement. 91���� President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus (below right) shares the stage with the presidents of JMU, Bridgewater College, and Blue Ridge Community College.

Pathways curriculum

Another exciting development at 91���� is the university’s new pathways curriculum launching this year. The result of nearly two years of work, the pathways curriculum keeps the same general education courses needed to graduate from 91���� but repackages them to meet the evolving needs of the workforce and a new generation of students.

“For this sophomore class, students will not only identify a primary major, such as accounting, but they will also identify a values major they will then pursue in their courses,” Dycus said.

Those value majors include environmental sustainability, intercultural understanding, power and equity, and faith and meaning. They will also be listed on students’ transcripts and degrees.

“As they enter into their interviews with you, they can say, ‘I’ve had courses that prepare me for communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and ways to understand different cultures,’” Dycus told chamber members. 

“That’s one of the ways we can help students prepare, not only for the first job they will have, but the many jobs they will have as they go throughout their careers,” she added. “We’re training and educating students for jobs that we can’t yet imagine.”

For more information about the pathways curriculum, visit emu.edu/academics/pathways.

Dycus also highlighted the growth in the university’s nursing program and credited the community’s “wonderful clinical sites,” which include hospitals, retirement communities, schools, and hospices. “We’ve expanded the number of partners we have, and many of you are represented in this room,” she said.

LEFT TO RIGHT: James Madison University President Dr. Jim Schmidt, 91���� President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, Bridgewater College President Dr. David Bushman, and Blue Ridge Community College President Dr. John Downey gather for a group photo following the chamber’s annual Presidential Address.

Leadership stories

Dycus said that by forming partnerships with the local business community, students can learn they have a home not only on 91����’s campus but also across the broader Harrisonburg area. She called on business leaders to go forth and share their stories. 

“The ways you have navigated your own careers, your stories of access and accomplishment and even failure, are critical parts of what our students need to hear,” she said. “It’s not just the content and knowledge but it’s also the encouragement, affirmation, and confidence that motivate our students to know they can be sitting in the same places you’re sitting and leading the businesses you’re leading.”

Dycus will be inaugurated as 91����’s 10th president on Oct. 10 during Homecoming 2026. She expressed gratitude for the many notes of congratulations and encouragement she has received from chamber members since becoming president on July 1.

“It’s a reminder to me just how connected we are and the interdependence of our institutions and your organizations,” she said. 

Read more:
• WHSV-TV3: “”
• Daily News-Record: “”
• Rocktown Now: “”

The recipient of 91����’s 2025 Outstanding Young Alum Award, the Rev. Brittany “Smash” Caine-Conley MDiv ’14, will teach trauma and resilience studies at Eastern Mennonite Seminary this fall.

She will also teach at 91����’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and work with the Seminary Extended grant in collaboration with Union Presbyterian Seminary and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, Caine-Conley grew up in Harrisonburg and described returning to teach at 91���� as “a dream.”

“91���� attends to the fact that students are whole people, and it’s a gift for me to be part of an institution that understands that and strives toward educating the whole person,” she said. “…There seems to be a concerted effort to prepare students to engage with what is really a complex and challenging society in ways that are both nuanced and hopeful.”

The pastor, organizer, and leader in movement chaplaincy has extensive experience supporting communities through crisis, healing, and transformation. She was instrumental in founding and leading Congregate Charlottesville, which helped faith communities respond to collective trauma in the aftermath of white supremacist violence in 2017. In recognition of her work, she was honored by the National Council of Churches as a co-recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Faithful Leadership.

She said her experiences in a class on racial healing and whiteness, taught by Dr. David Evans, while she was a seminary student, were especially formative.

“That was where I began, for the first time in my life, to examine white supremacy culture and the limitations of certain types of allyship,” Caine-Conley said. “It was that foundation that allowed me to move into organizing toward a different orientation, one of embodying anti-racist solidarity.”

The Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, said Caine-Conley brings a dynamic combination of academic scholarship, pastoral leadership, trauma-informed community care, and social justice engagement.

“As an alumna of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Rev. Caine-Conley remains deeply connected to our mission of peacebuilding and transformative education,” Bixler said.

Caine-Conley is currently completing her PhD in religious studies from the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology, where her research explores the intersections of theology, identity, power, social transformation, and human experience. She served as adjunct faculty at Iliff, teaching courses on identity, power, vocation, and community engagement. Prior to doctoral studies, she gained valuable pastoral experience through church planting, worship ministry, and ministering with university students.

“We look forward to the pastoral wisdom, experience in faith community organizing, and compassionate leadership she will bring to our students and campus this fall,” Bixler said.

Learn more about Eastern Mennonite Seminary at emu.edu/seminary.

Success does not happen by accident, said Christ Zola, a recent graduate of 91����’s Intensive English Program (IEP).

“Behind every achievement, there are often sacrifices that people never see,” he told a crowd of families, friends, students, and supporters gathered at Martin Chapel for IEP’s graduation ceremony on Wednesday. “There were times when I cried and asked myself, ‘Was all this really necessary?’ There were other times when I struggled to keep my eyes open in class because I hadn’t slept the night before.”

“But today, I stand before you as proof that perseverance works,” he continued. “Keep believing, keep working, and keep moving forward. Never give up, because your breakthrough may be closer than you think.”

Zola was one of 15 graduates from the IEP’s spring and summer 2026 semesters recognized at the ceremony last week.

The IEP helps English language learners from all around the world find their voice and build a better life for themselves. In a typical semester, the program has 60 to 80 students representing 15 to 20 different countries.

Graduates of 91����’s Intensive English Program share their perspectives at last week’s ceremony.

The graduates received certificates of completion and stoles bearing the flags of their home country. Many shared perspectives from their time in the program, expressed gratitude for the support and encouragement they received from family members, friends, classmates, and teachers, and reflected on how the skills they acquired will serve them throughout their lives.

Sahar Malkzai, a spring IEP graduate, described the happiness she felt having completed the program. “This is my first achievement that I got in the United States,” she said.

“You didn’t just teach us English,” she told her teachers. “You gave us confidence and motivation. Your education has truly changed our lives, and I will always be grateful for everything you have done for us.”

Ezatullah Yousofzai, a summer IEP graduate, thanked his teachers for their support, patience, and guidance, and for believing in him and his classmates throughout their journey. “As we graduate today, let us remember that every lesson, every challenge, and every teacher has helped shape who we are,” he said.

Another summer graduate of the program, Mohammad Anway, said he can now understand English well, speak it fluently, and read and write it with confidence. “We are sure this great achievement will have a positive impact on our future careers,” he said.

IEP Office Coordinator Kris Long drapes a stole over a graduate’s shoulders.

LEFT: Jeremy Samsoe, director of the IEP, presents a certificate of completion to a graduate. RIGHT: Graduates pose for a photo following the ceremony.

Jeremy Samsoe, director of the IEP, remarked that this was the most graduates the program had ever honored at a single ceremony. “We’ve never had a stage quite so full before,” he said. “This is wonderful.”

As he projected images of Ellis Island and his great-grandfather, Nicholas Samsoe, who immigrated to the United States from Germany by boat, he spoke about how similar Nicholas’ life was to those of many students in the IEP.

“He came to this country and had to start over a lot of his life,” Samsoe said. “He spoke a language other than English, he spoke German, and his life as a child was very, very different from the life of his own children.”

“I want to remind you that what you do and who you are as an individual will be remembered by your children, by your grandchildren, and by your nieces and nephews,” he told the graduates. “And your life will influence and shape the lives of even your great-grandchildren or great-nieces and nephews who may never meet you.”

Fifteen graduates of 91����’s Intensive English Program were recognized at Wednesday’s ceremony.

LEFT: Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, offers her remarks to the graduates. RIGHT: A celebratory potluck meal was held after the graduation ceremony.

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, encouraged the graduates to continue learning, asking questions, and building bridges wherever they go. “This is not the end,” she said. “This is the start of something new, something great, and something beautiful.”

91���� has three core values: academic excellence, peace and justice, and active faith. “And each of you represents those three core values in distinct and unique ways,” Willingham said. “It is because of your desire not just to learn a new language, not just to create more opportunities for your families, but also to make a difference in your life and in your community that you are a demonstration of who we are at 91���� at our core.”

For more information about 91����’s Intensive English Program, visit emu.edu/iep.

Fans wearing 91���� gear received free admission and could win 91����-branded T-shirts, noisemakers, and maracas tossed into the crowd throughout the game.

More than 300 people attended the high-scoring Valley Baseball League game at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, including plenty of 91���� alumni, faculty, staff, students, and their families and friends who gathered to cheer on the Harrisonburg Turks.

Herm takes the mound for his first pitch at 91���� Night with the Turks on Thursday evening.

Herm, outfitted in his finest Royals baseball jersey, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to start the game. The sapphire-hued southpaw lofted a looping pitch that sailed through the air and bounced off home plate.

“When you’re the king of the beasts, you get the pitch you want to throw,” the announcer joked over the loudspeaker.

After stepping off the mound, Herm hyped up the crowd of 91���� fans braving the 86-degree heat.

The Turks are part of the 12-team Valley Baseball League, a collegiate summer baseball league that features players from across the country.

The evening featured a divisional matchup between the Turks and the Waynesboro Generals. Waynesboro took an early lead with two runs in the top of the second inning and pulled further ahead with four more runs in the sixth.

The final score was a 9-3 win for the Generals.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP PHOTO: Aric Berg, project manager for 91���� marketing and communications, tosses free clappers and maracas to fans. | Adam Wirdzek, web content and strategy manager, hands out the 91����-branded giveaways. | Henry Bowser, with support from his wife, Bonnie, wields the BaZOOKa T-shirt cannon.

91����’s marketing and communications team handed out free giveaways, while Henry Bowser, technician for 91����’s engineering lab, fired shirts into the stands. The T-shirt cannon he used was designed by engineering alumnus Adam Stoltzfus ’25 and named the BaZOOKa after 2019 alumni donors Ben and Kayla Zook, who funded the project.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP PHOTO: Nathan Leopard, vice president for advancement, brought his family to the ballpark. | Paul Yoder, associate professor of teacher education, and his family show off some of the gear they won. | Jacob Sankara MA ’26 (conflict transformation) watches the game.

91���� Night with the Turks is a popular event for baseball fans and 91���� Royals of all ages to enjoy a summer evening at the ballpark, cheer on the home team, and show their Royal pride.

Thanks to everyone who showed up and hope to see you next season!

Join us for an evening of baseball, giveaways, and community when 91���� Night with the Turks returns on Thursday, July 16, at 7 p.m. The event will be held at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park (395 S. High Street) in Harrisonburg.

Fans wearing 91���� apparel will receive free admission. Cheer on the Harrisonburg Turks as they take on the Waynesboro Generals, and catch 91���� T-shirts, maracas, and clappers tossed into the crowd between innings.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that 91���� and the Turks have partnered to host this event.

91���� the Turks

Established in 1915, the Harrisonburg Turks collegiate summer baseball team plays more than 40 regular-season games from May through July in the 12-team Valley Baseball League. League playoffs follow the regular season. Many Turks players have gone on to compete in Major League Baseball and to coach at the collegiate and professional levels. Follow the Turks’ season at .

Speaking to a crowd gathered in Downtown Harrisonburg on Thursday, July 2, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, President Dycus used the occasion to introduce herself as 91����’s 10th president and highlight the importance of community.

The celebration, held at the Turner Pavilion, kicked off both the Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Music Series and the Fourth of July holiday weekend. 91���� was a presenting sponsor for the event, which featured live music from Harrisonburg-based Dr. How & The Reasons to Live and Staunton-based headliner Scott Miller & The Commonwealth, along with food and drink vendors, giveaways, children’s activities, and a VA250 fireworks celebration. According to organizers, about 2,000 people attended Thursday’s event.

Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president of enrollment and marketing, represented undergraduate and graduate admissions at the 91���� tent. He shared information about 91����’s academic programs while handing out brain-shaped stress balls and hand fans, which offered a welcome relief from the sweltering heat.

When President Dycus took the stage, she likened the origin story of the United States to that of communities like Harrisonburg.

“It’s written by neighbors who show up for each other, who welcome new people, and who work together to make sure that the places that we create for one another are safe and that we allow each other to thrive,” President Dycus said. 

The 2026-27 academic year marks 110 years since 91���� was founded in northern Harrisonburg. 91����’s tradition of educating students and preparing them to serve and lead in a global context has helped shape communities across the Shenandoah Valley.

“We’re proud to see our graduates here in the crowd this evening,” President Dycus said. “But we’re also grateful to see our graduates around town leading our local government, caring for our patients in the hospital, teaching in our schools, and making sure that we’re looking out for our neighbors.”

Six more free concerts in Downtown Harrisonburg will be held over the next two months. For more information on the series and its lineup, visit .

Watch President Dycus kick off the music series in the video below.

The group of 10 HHS seniors wrote, performed, and produced Dis/connect, a nine-track, multi-genre album recorded at 91����’s Astral Recording Studio in March. Listen to Dis/connect on or by using the embedded player below.

Last year, while the Astral Recording Studio was still under construction (it opened during the fall 2025 semester), Dr. Benjamin Guerrero, assistant professor of music at 91����, led a tour of the space for high school students. During the visit, he and J.R. Snow, Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts for Harrisonburg City Public Schools, began discussing the idea of bringing students in to record an album.

“We just looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s make that happen,’” Guerrero said.

After learning that students in the Fine Arts Academy were interested in creating an album, Snow reached back out to Guerrero, who consulted on the project. Together, they decided the students would write and rehearse their songs in advance so they would be ready to record during their studio visit.

“For many of our students, going into the studio and recording was definitely their favorite part of the project,” Snow said.

One of those students, Wren Hamner, who contributed a rap song and a murder ballad—a song that tells the story of a murder, like “No Body, No Crime” by Taylor Swift—to the album, described the anticipation leading up to the group’s trip to Astral Recording Studio.

“None of us had ever recorded in a legit studio before,” Hamner said. “When we got there, we had everything planned out. We were ready to go, and everything just came together.”

Billy Perritt, another student from the academy, sang on three songs, playing guitar on two and drums on one. He said it was also his first time in a professional recording setting.

“It was such a blast,” he said. “It was a really cool learning experience, and I’m so glad I was able to do it. I’m thankful to 91���� for letting us use their facility.”

Snow, who served as capstone coordinator for the Fine Arts Academy, said he was impressed by the cutting-edge capabilities of the state-of-the-art space.

“I have just enough knowledge about music technology to know how high-quality the Dolby Atmos studio is and to see what a gift it is for our community,” he said. “It’s a game-changer for artists who are looking to do some high-quality work.”

Guerrero helped guide students through the recording process while they were at the studio, noting that they spent about an hour in the studio on each song. He added that the group received a discounted rate for their time, one way 91���� and its recording studio are connecting with the local community.

“It’s almost like an exclusive admissions tour,” he said. “It’s not just, ‘Can they envision themselves in the studio being creative?’ but ‘Can they envision themselves at 91����?’”

91���� the Astral Recording Studio

Located in the former Astral Hall building atop the 91���� Hill at 1304 Hillcrest Drive, the studio features acoustically treated rooms designed for crystal-clear sound. It provides students, faculty, staff, and community artists access to professional tools for recording and mixing music, video, podcasts, and other audio projects. Learn more at .

91���� the HHS Fine Arts Academy

The interdisciplinary, collaborative, and experiential learning community prepares students for lifelong careers, passions, and appreciation of creativity through the arts. The Class of 2026 marked the final year of the academy. Learn more about the academy and their album at .

Read all about the Astral Recording Studio in the story posted below:

Ande Banks ’97, city manager of Harrisonburg since 2022, says leading the place where he grew up comes with its own unique challenges.

For one thing, there are the childhood nicknames that haven’t been forgotten. “When you’re walking down the street and someone calls out, ‘Hey, there goes Andy-Pandy,’ it’s like, ‘Do you really need to say that out loud?’” Banks said.

Then there are the neighbors and parents of friends who remember the bouts of youthful mischief he and his buddies got into as kids. From swimming in local quarries to setting off firecrackers on Main Street, “it wasn’t anything too scandalous,” he said. Still, those encounters can feel a little awkward.

But for Banks, who has called Harrisonburg home since he was four, serving as city manager is a dream job.

“I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else,” he said.

A graduate of Eastern Mennonite School, he later earned a bachelor’s degree in history and social science from 91���� in 1997 and a master’s of public administration from James Madison University in 2017.

Friendships with faculty

Banks didn’t need much convincing to enroll at 91����.

As a soccer player at Eastern Mennonite School, he already knew then-Royals men’s soccer coach Roger Mast, who had coached the EMS team during his sophomore year and welcomed him on the 91���� squad. Many of his friends also were planning to attend 91����.

Shortly after beginning his studies at 91����, Banks formed close relationships with professors, including his adviser, Dr. Albert N. Keim, a longtime history professor, academic dean, and namesake of the history department’s annual Keim Lecture Series. “I absolutely adored him,” Banks said. “Between him and Dr. Mary Sprunger, who still teaches at 91����, I had amazing one-on-one relationships with professors who I hold in great esteem.”

Banks, a goalkeeper for the Royals soccer team, dropped the sport after his first year to focus more on his coursework. He acknowledged that he had not prioritized academics in high school and credited his relationships with professors with helping him flourish.

He recalled being fascinated as Dr. Keim, “a kind of grandfather figure,” shared his experiences as a conscientious objector, which stood in stark contrast to his own grandfather’s stories of fighting in World War II.

His grandfather had emigrated from Scotland. Banks spent a semester there for his intercultural, touring the country, reading history texts, and journaling for Dr. Keim.

“That was a really important experience in my college career and as a human being,” he said. “It was life-changing.”

Served city since 2009

It’s been a slow and steady rise to the top of city government for Banks, who has worked for the City of Harrisonburg for nearly two decades. He served as director of special projects and grant management from 2009-16 before becoming assistant to then-City Manager Kurt Hodgen from 2016-17 and deputy city manager from 2017-22. He was appointed city manager following a nationwide search on Oct. 25, 2022.

As , Banks carries out City Council’s policies and directives, prepares the budget, recruits and supervises city staff, oversees daily operations across departments, advises council members, facilitates communication among elected officials, employees and residents, and serves on numerous local and regional boards.

Given that range of responsibilities, no two days are the same, Banks said, “and that’s one of the things I love about it.”

When Banks was named city manager, Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, then a member of 91����’s Board of Trustees, offered a strong endorsement.

“What makes you unique and special is your heart,” Reed told Banks. “You have a heart of service. You are a servant, and you love this community, you really do. … You are exactly what we need at this time for this city,” reported at the time.

91���� teaches ‘service above self’

Banks credited 91����’s mission and vision with preparing him and other graduates for lives of service.

“Both in the curriculum and in the culture of Eastern Mennonite, it prepares us as alumni to go forth into the world and not just make a difference, but be conscious and conscientious citizens of the world,” he said. “I feel that the perspective that was shared with me at 91���� I’ve taken forth, and that is certainly one of service above self.”

Since graduating, he’s regularly returned to campus, connecting with programs such as the Intensive English Program and speaking with classes about public service. Banks said one of his favorite parts of the job is helping students and community members understand the role of local government and how it shapes everyday life. From 2001-09, he served as district representative for former U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, and recalled the congressman’s description of local government as “front-seat politics.”

“Your constituents literally come out and sit in the front row and stare you down when you’re debating important issues in front of the community,” Banks said. “Here, in local government, you run into your constituents in the grocery store, at church, at school, at soccer games, and that gives you an opportunity to talk about the importance of the services we provide and the needs of our community.”

Royals reign

Another benefit of working in local government is his close relationship with other 91���� alumni serving in leadership roles across the region.

Since becoming the first refugee elected to Harrisonburg City Council in 2024, Nasser Alsaadun MA ’17 (education) has advocated for local refugee and immigrant communities. In Harrisonburg City Public Schools, alumni athletes Missy Hensley ’92 and Ryan Henschel ’15 serve as principals of Harrisonburg and Rocktown high schools, respectively.

In neighboring Rockingham County, Casey Armstrong ’06 has served as county administrator since January 2025. Matt Dale MA ’16 (organizational leadership) represents District 3 on the Board of Supervisors, and Kirby Dean ’92 serves as the county’s director of parks and recreation.

Banks said collaboration between the city and county governments is especially strong because of their shared services, including social services, the health department, the emergency communications center, and the court system.

“All of that means greater savings for our taxpayers and greater efficiencies in providing those services to the residents of Harrisonburg and Rockingham,” Banks said. “And that means Casey [Armstrong] and I work much more closely than other colleagues in city-county relationships around the commonwealth.”

Looking toward the future

Banks said it’s an exciting time for Harrisonburg. The city’s metropolitan statistical area, which also includes Rockingham County, is one of only a few in Virginia that has experienced continued growth over the past 20 years, he said.

While Harrisonburg faces challenges common to growing cities, including a need for more affordable housing, he said its two universities, regional medical center, and role as a commercial hub position it well for continued growth and long-term success.

“I think the future is as bright as the past, if anything,” he said.

Banks lives in Harrisonburg with his wife, Jennifer, a JMU alumna, and their two children, Brigid and Al. When he isn’t actively running the city, he stays active, running through the city—often with a baseball cap slipped on.

“I put on a hat and all of a sudden nobody knows who I am,” he said. “They’re like, ‘That couldn’t be Ande, because he’s bald.’ It’s like I turn into a superhero.”

In addition to his degrees from 91���� and JMU, Banks attended the Senior Executive Institute at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service in 2019 and achieved a certificate in local government management from Virginia Tech in 2013. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association, the Virginia Local Government Management Association, and the American Society for Public Administration.

This story appears in the summer 2026 issue of Crossroads magazine.

As Downtown Harrisonburg prepares to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a free concert and fireworks spectacular Thursday, Cassidy Walker ’25 is helping bring one of the city’s biggest summer events to life.

The Visual and Communication Arts (VACA) graduate has served as development manager for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance () since January, where she builds and strengthens relationships with donors, sponsors, and local businesses to advance the nonprofit’s mission.

She spoke with 91���� News about her love for Downtown Harrisonburg, the lessons she brought from 91����, and the city’s “biggest fireworks show yet.”

How did you end up working for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance?

I fell in love with Downtown Harrisonburg, and I couldn’t really leave it. HDR is actually one of the reasons I fell in love with it.

Through the VACA program at 91����, I also worked with downtown business owners, so I already understood the impact HDR was making. Then someone I knew told me, “You’d be great at this job. You love talking to people, and you’d really excel in this role.”

During my interview, I talked about how much I admired what HDR was doing and how my experiences at 91����, from admissions to VACA and working with students, had prepared me for this role. Thankfully, I got the job.

What’s been your favorite part of the job?

I love talking to people. Being able to make these amazing connections with business owners, sponsors, and community partners is my favorite part of what I do.

91���� taught me how to build meaningful relationships and have genuine conversations with people. Those skills have carried over directly into this role, and now I get to use them every day.

You mentioned falling in love with Downtown Harrisonburg. What do you love most about it?

Like 91����, Downtown Harrisonburg is incredibly community-oriented. People just care about one another and want to see each other succeed. That’s something I experienced at 91����, and when I got to know downtown and the people behind HDR, I saw that same spirit among the business owners and community partners. They really support one another, and that’s something special.

Since starting this job, what’s been your favorite moment so far?

I’ve had a lot of favorite moments, but one really stands out.

One of our sponsors had worked closely with the previous development manager, and I was terrified walking into that first meeting. It was my first sponsorship meeting, and I wasn’t sure how it would go. As we started talking, I realized they also had ties to 91����. We talked about where I came from, why I wanted to work for HDR, and what this role meant to me.

In that moment, it clicked that I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing. Even though I was nervous, the conversation felt natural and gave me a lot of confidence moving forward.

There’s a big event happening Thursday. What can people expect?

We’re presenting the VA250 Fireworks Celebration, which also serves as the kickoff to this year’s Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Music Series. It’s really two events in one.

We’ll kick off the series with the first of seven free concerts, featuring a local opening act. There will be food vendors, kids’ activities, giveaways, and our biggest fireworks show yet.

It’s designed for everyone: families, friends, kids, and even dogs. Thanks to sponsors like 91���� and Blue Ridge Insurance Services, we’re able to make this event possible and are very grateful for their support.

What are you most excited for people to experience?

The whole idea behind the Levitt AMP Music Series is building community through the shared experience of live music. I get to see that happen in real time while working with our sponsors and artists.

Watching people come together, make connections, and simply enjoy being part of the community is what I’m most excited about. That’s really what these events are all about.

91���� is a sponsor of the VA250 Fireworks Celebration and Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Music Series.

These answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness. 

Dycus, who has led the university as interim president since July 2025, begins her five-year term on July 1, 2026.

“I’m humbled to continue the bold legacy of 91����,” Dycus said. “91���� leaders have been courageous and visionary stewards of this sacred community. Being called to serve among them is a responsibility I’m excited and honored to step into.”   

The 91���� Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Dycus as president during its June 12 meeting.

Jane Hoober Peifer ’74, MDiv ’97, chair-elect of the board, said Dycus demonstrated consistent and collaborative leadership over the past year as interim president that “continues to unite the campus.” She also highlighted her ability to listen attentively and build effective teams.

“She cares deeply about students and their success, and she works to create a good working environment for faculty and staff,” Peifer said. “91���� is very fortunate to have the gifts and leadership of Rev. Dr. Shannon Dycus as its 10th president.”

The board’s decision followed several months of feedback gathered by its Presidential Succession Planning Committee from representatives across the 91���� community, including faculty, staff, students, senior administrators, alumni, donors, church constituents, and other key stakeholders, regarding her potential appointment. 

A report of the committee’s findings, presented to the board in May, recommended appointing Dycus without launching a costly and time-consuming national search. 

Based on “the institutional knowledge, relationships, and trust that she has already established, the university is not being asked to take a chance on an untested leader. Instead, [91����] has already completed the most meaningful leadership assessment possible: observing the candidate serve successfully in the role itself.”

It cited her demonstrated leadership, character, vision, and effectiveness as positioning her to lead 91���� into its next chapter. It also noted the unusual level of alignment from those consulted throughout the process.

“The committee found broad and consistent support for Dr. Dycus across nearly every constituency engaged during this process,” the report said. “Stakeholders repeatedly described her leadership as authentic, relational, transparent, collaborative, strategic, mission-centered, and deeply aligned with 91����’s values.”

The analysis concluded that Dycus demonstrates the leadership capacity, institutional understanding, and community trust needed to guide 91���� during a pivotal period in its history. Together, the board’s unanimous vote and the consistent, enthusiastic affirmation expressed across stakeholder groups reflect a shared confidence in Dr. Dycus’s leadership and in 91����’s future.

Over the past year as interim president, Dycus has fostered renewed optimism, deeper collaboration, greater transparency, and growing confidence in 91����, the report said. She helped create a healthier organizational culture while guiding the university through significant challenges.

During her tenure, Dycus has helped position the university for enrollment growth, financial stability, and sustained donor confidence. Undergraduate applications have doubled during this cycle, and 91���� is projecting a larger incoming class than last year, which itself was up 10%.

91����’s first-ever Forward Together comprehensive campaign has surpassed 80% of its $40 million goal with two years remaining. As student and workforce needs evolve, the university continues to reshape its academic programs to ensure its transformative educational offerings remain relevant in a changing higher education landscape.

A recently finalized strategic partnership with Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community positions the university to invest in programs and people that move it forward. An academic restructuring during the 2025-26 academic year has also expanded opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for who we are as an institution,” Dycus said. “We are growing, we are sustaining, and there’s joy around who we are.”

An educator and ordained minister, Dycus has more than 20 years of experience in learning communities and ministry settings, including the past seven at 91����. Prior to serving as interim president, she was vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging. She previously served as dean of students from 2019-23 then vice president for student affairs and dean of students from 2023-24 before being promoted to vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging (2024-2025).

Before coming to 91����, she was an academic adviser and adjunct faculty member at Franklin University of Ohio (Indianapolis campus) and co-pastor at First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis.

She holds a doctor of ministry in public theology from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, a master of divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, and a bachelor of arts in middle and secondary education from Butler University.

Dycus is the first Black woman to lead 91���� as president. She succeeds President Emerita Dr. Susan Schultz Huxman, who served as the university’s ninth president from 2017-25.

She lives in Harrisonburg with her husband, Gregory, and sons Malachi and Semaj.

An inauguration ceremony on Oct. 10 during 91����’s annual Homecoming Weekend will celebrate Dycus as the university’s 10th president during its 110th year. Invitations and additional details will be shared later.

Manuel Nuñez ’94, chair of the board of trustees, reflected on the significance of the appointment. “As 91���� steps into its next century, we are grateful to have found in Dr. Shannon Dycus a leader uniquely suited to this moment,” he said. “Dr. Dycus brings academic depth, a gift for listening, and a deep commitment to building community. Her leadership reflects clarity, wisdom, and a fierce commitment to our students and to the distinctive mission and witness of 91����.” 

Members of the Presidential Succession Planning Committee included Janet Lind (chair), Jake Bell, Ral Obioha, Steve Kriss, and Amy Yoder McGloughlin.

Dr. Dycus reflects on being selected as 91����’s 10th president.

The Free Food Room is a joint initiative coordinated by the task force—a group of 91���� staff members that includes Celeste Thomas, Trina Trotter Nussbaum, Brian Martin Burkholder, and Levi Clymer—along with the SEEDS student sustainability group and Student Life. It receives monthly food deliveries at heavily discounted rates as a member of the Verona-based Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

In addition to food bank deliveries, the Free Food Room receives fresh produce from local farms through its partnership with Harrisonburg’s educational outreach program. This year, the Free Food Room is receiving produce from near Keezletown. The program also receives donated produce through its relationship with Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.

“I’m so impressed by how many partnerships this little space involves,” said Nicole Litwiller ’19, MA ’20, annual giving and donor communications specialist, one of the visitors on the tour. “It’s such a great example of 91���� and the broader community working together.”

Task force members said they plan to add card-swipe access to the entrance this summer to ensure resources and donations are best used to serve students, employees, and others with an active 91���� ID card. The security upgrade, funded through a $12,000 grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), will allow the Free Food Room to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is currently accessible from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Grant funding will also be used to create more visible signage outside the space, increase publicity as students return to campus, and address ADA doorway access needs, with the remaining funds designated for food purchases.

Task force members said the Free Food Room often has an abundance of fresh produce during the summer months and encouraged faculty, staff, and students to take fruits, vegetables, and frozen meat home with them, regardless of financial need.

“Every summer, we have this excess,” Trotter Nussbaum said. “This is for people who think, ‘Oh, I don’t need the Free Food Room.’ Please come and take it because it will spoil, and you might as well have fresh produce in your house. Come take it.”

“Before you go to the grocery store,” Thomas added.

91���� students Rin Akinotcho (top, below left) and La-Ann Volel (below right) help out at the Free Food Room during the spring semester. 

How to help

Monetary donations to the Free Food Room can be made online through . Select “Free Food Room” from the designation dropdown menu to direct your gift to the program.

Food donations may be left on a marked table inside the Free Food Room.

For more information about the Free Food Room or ways to support its work, contact Brian Martin Burkholder, Celeste Thomas, Trina Trotter Nussbaum, or Levi Clymer.