Cynthia “Cindy” Lapp ’86 may have been destined to become a Mennonite pastor.

Her parents were both Mennonite pastors, as were her grandfathers. Her husband’s father and grandfather were Mennonite pastors, too.

Despite the family tradition, Lapp didn’t always envision following in their footsteps.

“I would ask my dad, ‘How did you know you wanted to do this?’ and he never had a satisfactory answer for me,” she said. “I think my children probably don’t get a satisfactory answer from me either. It’s a mysterious kind of thing.”

Lapp, pastor of in suburban Maryland since 2003, is the recipient of 91´óÉń’s 2026 Distinguished Service Award. The annual award recognizes alumni who exemplify the university’s emphases on Christian service and peacemaking and have made a significant impact on the lives of others.

“I was surprised. I thought they must’ve sent the letter to the wrong person,” she said. “Then I thought, ‘Oh, distinguished means old. It must mean I’ve reached a certain age.’”

Lapp grew up in Oregon after moving from Pennsylvania in the fourth grade. As a child, she dreamed of appearing on Sesame Street.

“I thought that would be a great job because you could play with puppets and spend time with kids and act and sing,” she said. “I feel like pastoring is like that. There are so many different things I get to do that are intriguing to me.”

Those roles extend well beyond preaching. Lapp works with other faith leaders to support immigrants through the Congregation Action Network, serves as a community chaplain with the Hyattsville Police Department, and volunteers with Congregations United for Compassion and Empowerment, which operates a day center for people experiencing homelessness or financial hardship.

In August 2017, she joined nearly 100 clergy and faith leaders the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.

“I appreciate that our congregation is interested in relating to the larger community,” Lapp said. “It’s not just about taking care of one another, which we do, but it’s also about knowing who our neighbors are outside of the church and figuring out what their needs are.”

Some of her most significant ministry came through one of the most difficult chapters in Hyattsville Mennonite Church’s history.

The congregation became of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Mennonite church when it welcomed its first openly gay member in 1986. In 2005, two years after bringing an openly gay delegate to a conference meeting, the church was formally disciplined. For the next decade, Hyattsville representatives could not vote at conference meetings or serve in leadership roles, and Lapp herself was placed under review. In 2015, the Allegheny Mennonite Conference voted 72-70 to reinstate the congregation to full membership.

“We stuck around,” Lapp said. “We kept engaged with the conference, which was really hard, but it was definitely worth it. And I’m really proud of our congregation for how we navigated that.”

At 91´óÉń, Lapp majored in music, sang with the Chamber Singers, and participated in the Washington Study-Service Year, now the 91´óÉń Washington Semester. She later worked for the program from 1989-93.

“That was very formational for me,” she said. “I ended up coming back to D.C. and I’ve never left.”

After graduating from Wesley Theological Seminary in 1998, Lapp had not intended to become a pastor. But when Hyattsville’s pastor took a sabbatical and asked her to fill in, she discovered her calling.

“That was eye-opening for me,” she said. “It helped me feel that this was something I could do.”

Today, Lapp and her husband, Eric Stoltzfus, live in Mount Rainier, Maryland. They have three adult children, Cecilia, Jamie ’20, and Elijah.

Lapp will share her story at 91´óÉń TenTalks, held on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. in Martin Chapel during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit emu.edu/homecoming.

For Trent Wagler ’02, lead singer and songwriter for the folk-rock band The Steel Wheels, music is a powerful way to bring people together.

“Anybody who’s been around music has had that experience,” he said. “Go to a music festival in some country far away, where you don’t speak the language, and listen.”

“The words don’t matter so much anymore. You’re not concerned about whether or not they’re on your side of the political aisle or on the team you root for. Instead, it’s just a rhythm we can all move to together.”

For more than 20 years, Wagler has toured with , performing about 100 shows each year across the United States, Canada, and Europe. During that time, the band has released more than a dozen studio albums, founded the annual , and earned several Independent Music Awards.

The banjo- and guitar-strumming frontman, who earned degrees in theater and peace, justice, and conflict studies (now peacebuilding and development), credits his 91´óÉń education with inspiring him to create music that invites people in, offers fresh perspectives, and leaves room for listeners to find their own meaning.

“Together, we create something special in a given night, on a weekend, and hopefully, over time,” he said.

That commitment to building community through music has earned Wagler 91´óÉń’s 2026 Alum of the Year Award. He shares the honor with fellow alumnus and Steel Wheels bandmate Eric Brubaker ’01.

“Being recognized for the work that Eric and I are doing, in bringing music that we believe in to people, it means a lot that people have noticed,” Wagler said.

At 91´óÉń, Wagler sang with the Chamber Singers and participated in the Washington Study-Service Year (now the 91´óÉń Washington Semester). For his intercultural experience, he spent a year in Gaza teaching English and guitar lessons in a refugee camp.

“I got to know quite a few really amazing young Muslim Palestinians who were primarily my peers as I lived over there,” he said.

That experience continues to shape his approach to songwriting and storytelling.

“These are people who love to play games, sing songs, enjoy the taste of fresh fruit, and joke, laugh and cry together,” he said. “To me, our job is to remember, even when it’s difficult or unpopular, that the basic human impulses, needs, desires, and joys are universal.”

Long before that formative year in Gaza, Wagler grew up in rural Indiana and later graduated from a small high school in south-central Kansas. The son of a Mennonite pastor, he remembers singing harmonies in church from an early age.

His parents, Howard ’71 and Cathryn ’71, met at 91´óÉń, but Wagler said it was a campus visit and conversation with Professor Emeritus Dr. Kenneth J. Nafziger, longtime director of the Chamber Singers, that convinced him to enroll.

“That one visit to campus made all the difference,” Wagler said. “There were a lot of little steps that brought me here. They may not be the reasons I value 91´óÉń most today, but I’m very grateful I ended up here.”

When he’s not touring, Wagler builds community through music in the Shenandoah Valley. He teaches at , a four-day strings camp for youth and adults held at 91´óÉń, hosts and performs at Red Wing Roots Music Festival, serves on the board of the nonprofit , and has taught in 91´óÉń’s music department since 2002.

He said he’s passionate about helping musicians of all ages grow and creating more opportunities for people to make music together.

“I think that makes a better community and a better world,” he said.

The Steel Wheels will perform a live show on campus at the annual Royal City Celebration from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, during Homecoming 2026.

Wagler will share his story at 91´óÉń TenTalks, held on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. in Martin Chapel, also during Homecoming. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit emu.edu/homecoming.

Eric Brubaker ’01, fiddler and founding member of the folk-rock band The Steel Wheels, jokes that he owes his touring career to 91´óÉń.

The social work major performed in the 91´óÉń Orchestra and choir and toured Cuba with the Chamber Singers. Music had always been an important part of his life, but he never imagined it would become his profession.

When he and four other students formed a bluegrass band called Reuben’s Potted Ferns during his junior year, 91´óÉń’s Admissions Office sent the group on a 10-day recruiting tour during the spring of 2000. The band played 16 shows, primarily at Mennonite schools and churches throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio.

“So, I blame 91´óÉń for starting off my touring career,” Brubaker said with a laugh.

After graduating, he quickly realized that a career in social work was not for him. He returned to music, joining fellow 91´óÉń alumni Trent Wagler ’02 and Brian Dickel ’98 and Goshen College graduate Jay Lapp to form what would become .

More than two decades, two additional band members, and over a dozen studio albums later, Brubaker and his bandmates have carved out a successful career as musicians.

“I know that’s a hard thing to do, and 91´óÉń gave me a great starting place for that,” Brubaker said. “I was allowed to find myself here. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be, and here I was able to study different things but also continue to play music.”

He said his time in the Chamber Singers under Professor Emeritus Dr. Kenneth J. Nafziger taught him the importance of listening to the people he performs with.

“You can’t have a band that lasts for 20 years without truly listening to each other: on stage, off stage, musically, and relationally,” he said.

Beyond performing, Brubaker uses music to bring people together and build community. He is a co-founder of the , hosted annually by the band in nearby Mount Solon, Virginia, which has featured artists including Old Crow Medicine Show, Lucinda Williams, and Steve Earle.

He also hosts , a four-day music camp at 91´óÉń that teaches roughly 140 students ages 5 to 19—adults joined the program for the first time this year—to play string instruments. Participants perform on stage with The Steel Wheels during the music festival.

“Music creates a moment where everyone is focusing on the same thing,” he said. “It’s not politics. It’s not religion. It’s just a gathering of humanity that wants to celebrate something beautiful.”

Brubaker’s commitment to connecting communities through music has earned him 91´óÉń’s 2026 Alum of the Year Award. The award recognizes alumni for significant achievements in their profession, community, or church and serves to inspire others to lead lives of service and vocational excellence.

“I’m honored,” he said. “There are so many people who have done amazing work, and so many people working hard behind the scenes who never receive acclaim.”

The community Brubaker has spent years helping build became especially meaningful in 2019, when he and his wife lost their young daughter, Norah, to a sudden illness.

“We were surrounded not only by our artistic community, the people who loved the band and the music we made, but also by the community surrounding 91´óÉń and the larger Mennonite community,” he said. “They were incredibly supportive.”

Today, Brubaker and his wife, Peggy ’00, are continuing their commitment to making music accessible. They recently formed the nonprofit Red Wing Academy Foundation, which provides scholarships for students to attend the camp.

“It’s been amazing to connect with people who want to help pass music on to a younger generation,” he said.

The Steel Wheels will perform a live show on campus at the annual Royal City Celebration from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, during Homecoming 2026.

Brubaker will share his story at 91´óÉń TenTalks, held on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. in Martin Chapel, also during Homecoming. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit emu.edu/homecoming.

If you were one of the who watched NASA’s coverage of the Artemis II mission in April, you saw years of hard work by alumnus Stephan Goertzen ’16 take flight.

For the past eight years, the 91´óÉń mathematics grad has been part of a team of engineers near Denver working to develop the Orion spacecraft, which will carry astronauts to the moon and help lay the groundwork for eventual missions to Mars.

As a stress analyst, Goertzen tested Orion’s structure to ensure the spacecraft can withstand the forces it encounters during launch, spaceflight, and re-entry. He’s worked on several parts of Orion, including its launch abort system, which can quickly pull astronauts away from the rocket in an emergency. He also tested the heat shield, which protects the crew from temperatures up to 5,000 degrees—about—when it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere.

He’s seen his work in action twice. In 2022, Artemis I sent the Orion spacecraft on an unmanned flight into space and around the moon before it successfully returned to Earth. Then, earlier this year, Artemis II made a similar journey with four astronauts aboard. aim to establish a sustained presence on the moon while developing the knowledge and technology needed for eventual human exploration of Mars.

Outside of the Artemis missions, Goertzen has also worked on NASA’s Dragonfly robotic rotorcraft, which will explore Saturn’s moon Titan and study its habitability. That mission plans to launch in July 2028.

LEFT: Artemis II crew members check out their Orion crew module on Aug. 8, 2023. (Photo by NASA/Kim Shiflett). RIGHT: Technicians prepare to attach the Orion spacecraft on top of the Space Launch System rocket at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 17, 2025, for the agency’s Artemis II mission. (Photo by NASA/Amber Jean Notvest)

Inspiring the next generation

As interest in space exploration has grown, Goertzen has enjoyed sharing a behind-the-scenes perspective on the mission and spacecraft.

“I’ve worked on a lot of different parts of the spacecraft, but a lot of it is hidden,” he said. “It’s structural. It’s on the inside. But once you start seeing those pieces on the NASA broadcast, that really brought me a lot of joy, knowing I was a part of that.”

His work has even made its way into the church he attends, where Artemis II was the focus of the children’s story for two consecutive Sundays.

“Kids get so excited about it,” Goertzen said. “My nephew, who’s four, was so excited watching the launch that he had his eyes just pinned to the TV. Hearing stories like that really makes a difference in understanding that you are influencing people and kids and getting them excited about engineering and math and science.”

Finding his place at 91´óÉń

Goertzen grew up in Goessel, a small town in south-central Kansas. “It’s the quintessential Mennonite town,” he said. “There are three Mennonite churches and only about 1,500 people who live in the community.” His father, Kevin, was a Mennonite pastor and serves as conference minister for Virginia Mennonite Conference.

When he was deciding where to attend college, he knew he wanted to enroll somewhere far enough from home to make a new path for himself. “I was also looking for a good Christian university that would back up the morals and ideologies I had,” Goertzen said. “91´óÉń stood out to me as a place where I felt at home. I liked the atmosphere of 91´óÉń, and my sister, [Jessica ’14], was already a student, so that was a nice connection.”

While at 91´óÉń, Goertzen traveled to Guatemala and Mexico with leader Byron Peachey to fulfill his intercultural learning requirement. He described the program as “one of the best things about 91´óÉń.”

“There are other schools that offer semesters abroad, but their students might live in dorms and you just don’t get the cultural aspect like you do when you’re living with a host family, without any of your classmates, and are made to speak another language,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity to grow in who you are.”

More than a decade after graduating, Goertzen still maintains the friendships and connections he formed with classmates and professors. “The people have always been my favorite part about 91´óÉń,” he said. “You can get a good education at a lot of different schools, but getting a good education from people who care about you makes a huge difference. Those people make a positive difference in your life beyond what they teach you.”

A balancing act

After graduating from 91´óÉń, Goertzen continued his education at Colorado School of Mines, where he earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in robotics in 2018. He landed a job working on Orion through connections he made in the school’s space resources program. On Aug. 31, he joined Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin as a senior structural analyst.

“If I were to tell my five-year-old self that I’m designing rockets to go into space, I think he would’ve been ecstatic and been like, ‘Man, you made it,’” Goertzen said.

Goertzen described his work as a balancing act. While he appreciates his employer’s contributions to science and technology, he also questions whether space exploration is the best use of the Earth’s resources.

“It’s hard to put the impact of exciting people about STEM industries into an impact assessment,” he said. “How many kids are now going to want to go off and do science and exploration-type careers and be the next people who solve medical mysteries because they saw Artemis and thought, ‘I want to work in STEM?’ You can’t put a price on that.”

In addition to his work on Orion, Goertzen served as project lead for an Engineers Without Borders clean water project that provided access to clean drinking water for a small community in Nicaragua. “I have a passion for reducing pollution and providing for those who are less fortunate,” he said.

Note: Goertzen’s former employer has been withheld for security reasons.

A last-minute road trip led Hannah Chappell-Dick ’16 to 91´óÉń, where she became one of the most accomplished distance runners in program history.

A biology major with minors in exercise science and honors, Chappell-Dick wasn’t initially focused on Mennonite colleges. She joined a friend traveling to Honors Weekend and quickly found herself drawn to 91´óÉń.

“I absolutely loved it,” she said. “I stayed overnight in the dorms, and we stayed up really late talking about ideas. It just felt like the people were really invested in intellectual curiosity.”

The Bluffton, Ohio, native made an immediate mark on 91´óÉń athletics. In cross-country, she earned First Team All-ODAC honors four times, was a two-time All-South/Southeast Region selection, qualified twice for the NCAA National Championships, and earned All-American honors in 2015.

Her track and field career was even more decorated. Chappell-Dick won 11 ODAC championships, earned 12 First Team All-ODAC honors, and qualified for five NCAA National Championships. She became a four-time All-American in the indoor mile and outdoor 1500 meters, received two Co-91´óÉń Female Athlete of the Year awards and the Co-91´óÉń Female President’s Award, and was named a top-30 honoree for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award after winning the ODAC’s Marjorie Berkley Award in 2016.

While she graduated holding 10 school records, Chappell-Dick says 91´óÉń’s greatest influence was its emphasis on global citizenship.

“91´óÉń gave me the tools to see people who are different from me as people first.”

She is now head cross-country coach and assistant men’s and women’s track and field coach at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Chappell-Dick will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

Jess Rheinheimer Bishop ’16 chose 91´óÉń because of its people. The Manheim, Pennsylvania, native appreciated head women’s basketball coach Kevin Griffin’s persistence in recruiting her, but it was 91´óÉń’s diverse community that ultimately set it apart.

“I wanted something a little different,” she said. “I appreciated all the different backgrounds and the people I knew I was going to be playing with.”

A nursing major, Bishop became one of the most decorated women’s basketball players in program history. She helped lead the Royals to an 84-26 record and two ODAC Tournament championship game appearances during her four-year career.

After earning All-ODAC Second Team honors as a sophomore, Bishop exploded onto the national stage in 2014-15. She was named ODAC Player of the Year, VaSID State Player of the Year, a D3hoops.com First Team All-American, and the recipient of the Jostens Trophy, awarded annually to the top NCAA Division III basketball player for excellence in athletics, academics, and community service. She also earned Co-91´óÉń Female Athlete of the Year honors.

As a senior, Bishop repeated as ODAC Player of the Year, was named D3hoops.com South Region Player of the Year, and earned another D3hoops.com All-American selection. She also received the Co-91´óÉń Female Athlete of the Year and Co-91´óÉń Female President’s Award. She finished her career with 1,567 points, the third-most in program history.

Today, Bishop has spent a decade as an oncology nurse at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She credits Coach Griffin with teaching her that effective leadership requires more than setting an example.

“Not just leading by example, but offering encouraging words … and being a mentor.”

She and her husband, Jonny ’17, have two children, Turner and Aven.

Bishop will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

Sarah Roth Shank ’10 faced a difficult college choice: follow her siblings to Goshen College to play soccer or attend 91´óÉń to continue her field hockey career. She chose 91´óÉń, a decision that launched an outstanding athletic career and opened the door to countless opportunities beyond the field.

A history major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with minors in pre-law, political studies, and peacebuilding, Roth Shank was a four-year midfielder for Royals field hockey, helping lead the team to four consecutive ODAC championship game appearances. She earned All-ODAC honors three times, including First Team recognition in 2007 and 2009, was twice named to the VaSID All-State Second Team, and earned a spot on the 2009 All-ODAC Tournament Team. In 2010, she received the 91´óÉń President’s Award, recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, faith, leadership, campus involvement, and community service.

Beyond athletics, Roth Shank embraced campus life.

“I was highly driven and wanted to be involved,” she said. “I didn’t need to just hyperfocus on playing my sport. I was able to do that, go on a cross-cultural, and be involved in student leadership.”

After spending the past nine years in New Zealand, while she earned a PhD in public policy and restorative justice, Roth Shank is returning to the United States with her husband, Benjamin ’10, and their two children. The family is settling in Columbus, Ohio, where she will continue her consulting work while teaching university courses at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Roth Shank will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

For Ryan Eshleman-Robles ’13, choosing 91´óÉń was an easy decision. A Harrisonburg native and third-generation Royal, he followed his father, Rodney Eshleman ’88, and grandfather, D. Rohrer Eshleman ’45, to 91´óÉń after playing soccer at Eastern Mennonite School.

“I knew where I was and why,” he said. “I loved it. It was an easy choice for me.”

A biology and philosophy & theology double major with an English minor, Eshleman-Robles anchored the Royals’ defense for four seasons, appearing in 77 matches as a center back. Though defenders rarely receive the spotlight, he embraced the role, saying he gave up “individual glory to get some wins.”

His play earned him two First Team All-ODAC selections, two VaSID All-State First Team honors, and a spot on the 2011 ODAC All-Tournament Team. In 2012, he was named the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

His career culminated with the 2012-13 91´óÉń President’s Award, recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, faith, leadership, campus involvement, and community service.

Having recently completed a PhD at Texas Tech University, Eshleman-Robles, who lives in Rockingham County with his wife, Valeria, and their two children, is returning to where his journey began. This fall, he will teach English at Eastern Mennonite School while serving as head varsity boys soccer coach.

Eshleman-Robles will be honored at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, during Homecoming 2026. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit . 

The recipient of 91´óÉń’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´óÉń’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´óÉń as “a dream.”

“91´óÉń 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.

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´óÉń 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´óÉń.

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´óÉń squad. Many of his friends also were planning to attend 91´óÉń.

Shortly after beginning his studies at 91´óÉń, 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´óÉń, 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´óÉń’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´óÉń teaches ‘service above self’

Banks credited 91´óÉń’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´óÉń 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´óÉń 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´óÉń 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´óÉń News about her love for Downtown Harrisonburg, the lessons she brought from 91´óÉń, 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´óÉń, 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´óÉń, 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´óÉń 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´óÉń, 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´óÉń, 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´óÉń. 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´óÉń 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´óÉń is a sponsor of the VA250 Fireworks Celebration and Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Music Series.

These answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness. 

For her, that moment came during the traumatic birth of her youngest child two years ago. Perez, a graduate of 91´óÉń at Lancaster’s Leadership and Organizational Management (LOM) program, shared that she failed out of her studies during that experience. But rather than quit, she pushed forward and kept fighting. She came back stronger, enrolling in the next cohort and earning Dean’s List honors throughout her time in the program. The road didn’t become easier, she said, but her resilience grew stronger.

That same resilience, she told the Class of 2026 graduates, lies in every single one of them. Many of them, who are nontraditional adult learners, balanced their coursework with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. “We showed up tired, we showed up overwhelmed and stretched thin, and sometimes we showed up broken,” she said. “Regardless, we still showed up.”

When her mother was hospitalized and passed away in January, Perez said her classmates, who had become a support system, showed up for her. “In one of my hardest seasons,” she said, “it was this community that reminded me I wasn’t alone.”

Graduates recess following the Commencement ceremony.

Angelita Perez (left) was one of three graduates who shared their perspectives at Commencement. Dr. Jamie Mak (right), assistant vice president of academic and program growth for 91´óÉń at Lancaster, opens the ceremony. 

Perez was one of 21 graduates of 91´óÉń at Lancaster’s degree and graduate certificate programs who walked across the stage and were joyfully sent off into the world during the annual Commencement ceremony at Forest Hills Mennonite Church on Friday, May 8. This year, 91´óÉń at Lancaster awarded 21 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 13 graduate certificates.

Dr. Jamie Mak, assistant vice president of academic and program growth for 91´óÉń at Lancaster, welcomed the family members, friends, and guests gathered in celebration and commended the courage and commitment shown by the graduates.

“As you leave today, you carry more than just credentials,” she said. “You carry the values that define this community: peacebuilding, social justice, service, and compassion. You are entering a world that needs those values more than ever.”

91´óÉń at Lancaster awarded 21 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 13 graduate certificates.

Graduates Will Stover (left) and Alejandro Ulloa (right) share their perspectives.

In addition to Perez, graduates Will Stover and Alejandro Ulloa shared their reflections.

Stover, a graduate of the aviation program, highlighted his cohort’s accomplishments—accumulating over 7,000 hours of flight time in their four years together—and shared some of the lessons they learned in the program. He encouraged graduates to “take the first step” when presented with challenges and opportunities, continue supporting one another and “keep ’em flying,” and find the positive in times of adversity. Echoing the mantra of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight squadron, he called on graduates to embrace being “glad to be here.”

“There are days that are difficult, when we feel defeated, lost, and unsure of what’s next,” he said. “There are also days that feel easy, motivating, and full of hope. The phrase ‘Glad to be here’ is a reminder that, regardless of the day, resiliency ultimately wins.”

When Ulloa was growing up, he often heard his mother say, “cada cabeza un mundo entero.” That phrase, he said, translates to “each head is a whole world.”

“My mom’s words are a consistent reminder that God created each of us with uniqueness and complexity and finds each of us worthy of love,” said Ulloa, who graduated with an MA in education with a concentration in Trauma and Resilience in Educational Environments (TREE).

After teaching at Lancaster Mennonite High School for 11 years, he said God called him to a different setting about four years ago. That’s when he applied to the program at 91´óÉń at Lancaster to “stay in touch with these faith-infused tenets of education and daily practice.”

“I’m so thankful for this program and its professors, who encouraged us to view our students in their entirety, to approach them with care and empathy first and foremost, and to remember that there’s an entire world in their heads,” he said. Ulloa added that he leaves the program “more committed than ever” to meet his students where they are, get to know them, and support them however he can.

91´óÉń at Lancaster’s Class of 2026 graduates celebrate after walking across the stage.

Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo (left) delivers the Commencement address. Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus (right) offers welcome remarks during the ceremony.

Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo delivered the Commencement address. A first-generation college graduate and avid runner who became the first Latino mayor in the city’s history, he spoke about the process of training for a marathon and connected it to broader lessons in life.

Preparation, he told the graduates, is both a choice and an ongoing process. “Sometimes that means taking a step back and readjusting your training plan,” he said. “Sometimes it’s just a check-in with yourself that brings you back to the basics. It’s about questioning your choices and making sure you’re on the right path.”

“Think deeply about your choices, find a way to quiet the noise, listen to what truly matters, and make sure the commitments you make are for the greater good,” Arroyo added.

In her remarks to the graduates, Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus expressed appreciation for the ways they have shown up for one another and for the 91´óÉń community. “You’ve wrestled with hard questions, you’ve listened across differences, and you’ve continued to pursue rigorous learning in a way that reflects both care and conviction,” she said.

Kirk Shisler ’81, vice president for advancement, welcomed the graduates as new members of the 91´óÉń Alumni Association. “You join some 21,000 fellow alumni who distinguish themselves as people who serve and lead with distinction locally, regionally, nationally, and around the world,” he said.

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, presented and commissioned the graduates. Dr. Dycus conferred the degrees and offered the closing blessing. Jess King ’96, an 91´óÉń parent and member of the 91´óÉń Board of Trustees, led the opening invocation. Derek Kline, director of the aviation program, and Dr. Mak recognized the graduates.

In addition to King, board members Janet Lind, Gloria Diener ’76, and Jane Hoober Peifer ’74, MDiv ’97, attended the ceremony.