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����’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����, Lapp majored in music, sang with the Chamber Singers, and participated in the Washington Study-Service Year, now the 91���� 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���� 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���� 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����’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����, Wagler sang with the Chamber Singers and participated in the Washington Study-Service Year (now the 91���� 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����, 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���� 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����, hosts and performs at Red Wing Roots Music Festival, serves on the board of the nonprofit , and has taught in 91����’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���� 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����.

The social work major performed in the 91���� 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����’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���� 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���� 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���� 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���� 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����’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���� 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���� 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.

A last-minute road trip led Hannah Chappell-Dick ’16 to 91����, 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����.

“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���� 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���� Female Athlete of the Year awards and the Co-91���� 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����’s greatest influence was its emphasis on global citizenship.

“91���� 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���� 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����’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���� 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���� Female Athlete of the Year and Co-91���� 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���� to continue her field hockey career. She chose 91����, 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���� 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���� 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���� 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���� 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 . 

“I get out of the car and these two girls are running by and, all of a sudden, one of them says, ‘Hi, Dottie,’” said Weber. That student turned out to be Maria Longenecker, a senior biology major who had Weber as an eighth grade teacher.

“Maria was one of the students I wanted to see,” Weber said. “And here she was, the first person I meet on campus. It’s unbelievable.”

Her husband Tim chimed in: “You have to understand, we could be at the top of Mount Everest and she’d know somebody. We could go anywhere and inevitably someone will say, ‘There’s Dottie!’”

Weber recalled last being on campus in 2005 to cater the wedding reception of alumna and former faculty member Catherine R. Mumaw. She was one of nearly 70 members of the Class of 1975 making a special trip back to 91���� this weekend for their milestone 50th reunion during Homecoming 2025. 

As she and a group of classmates sat at a table in the Seminary Building on Friday leafing through a Shenandoah yearbook from 1975, they marveled at old photos and reminisced, sharing stories and memories from their time at 91����. 

“It’s amazing who I can remember from these photos,” someone says. 

Another alumna asks, “Does anyone remember taking classes in the old chicken house? Is this the building where it used to be?”

One of those classmates, Julia Shultz King ’75, traveled all the way from Melbourne, Australia, to attend the homecoming festivities. After graduating with a nursing degree, she worked for the Medical College of Virginia and eventually the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, before serving as a missionary with Youth With A Mission. She has lived the past 13 years in Australia. 

She shared a story about putting out a fire in the Northlawn dormitory, after someone had left a candle near the window and a curtain had caught alight. This was the first reunion she could remember attending. She had missed the 50th reunion for her high school in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, because Australia had been in lockdown in 2021, and so “it made me extra want to be here,” she said. 

“I’m happy to be well enough that I could travel alone to get here,” King said.

Her friend, Weber, said something similar: “Who knows, at this age, you might not be able to come back in another five years.”

This group of alumni, said Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed, who serves as director of alumni engagement and community connections at 91����, was the only graduating class to ever create a two-volume yearbook. The Class of 1975 welcomed Alex Haley, author of Roots, to campus as part of a lecture music series. And the cross country team made 91���� history, becoming the National Christian College Athletic Association cross country champion that year. 

“There was also a unique tradition that happened during y’all’s time here,” she said. “Newly engaged students were thrown in the fishing pond. A lot of people got engaged that year, from what I’ve learned.”

Homecoming weekend is all about celebrating and reconnecting with one another, with this campus, and with the values that make 91���� such a special place, Reed said during the on Saturday morning. “Whether you’re an alum returning after many years or a student just beginning your journey, this is a time to remember that 91���� is family,” she said. “And there’s always a place for you here.”

Keep reading for highlights and photos from the weekend’s events!

Seated on a couch in the Student Union, Doris Horst Toll ’79 and her husband Marvin took the morning on Saturday to relax and unwind as they sipped on a hot cocoa from Common Grounds and flipped through the latest issue of The Weather Vane student newspaper. The couple from Michigan had returned for Homecoming to connect with old friends and had attended the at Lehman Auditorium the night before. “It brought back a lot of good memories of being in that chapel as a student,” she said.

Hall of Honor

MainStage Theater was packed to the gills on Saturday for a ceremony celebrating this year’s four Hall of Honor inductees: 

• Athletics events coordinator Phil Guengerich ’70 was introduced by 91���� Athletic Director Carrie S Bert ’97.
• Volleyball middle blocker Justin Reesor ’10 was introduced by former teammate Ben Yoder ’08. 
• Soccer forward Mitchell Leap ’12 was introduced by former coach Roger Mast ’85.
• Basketball center David Falk ’15 was introduced by former coach Kirby Dean.

An alumna attending the ceremony, Debbie Swartley ’08, of Penn Laird, Virginia, ran cross country and track while at 91����, and said she typically comes to Homecoming every year. “It’s just so much fun to be back on campus,” she said. “We typically walk around to see the changes for people who haven’t been here in awhile, and the kids love it.”

Gatherings and reunions

The weekend featured several gatherings, including:

• one celebrating the 50th anniversary of 91����’s social work program and the tenure of Professor Deanna Durham, 
• a gathering of alumni shaped by their experiences in the Middle East during 50 years of faculty-led interculturals to the region, 
• and a 50th anniversary get-together for alumni of the recently rebranded 91���� Washington Semester program.

An alumnus of the D.C. program, Avery Trinh ’22, was attending the lattermost gathering with his mother, Rebecca Dietz ’79. Both of them were in the program while it was called different names (Trinh was in WCSC in Fall 2021, while Dietz was in WSSY from 1977-78) and under different program directors (Trinh was led by Ryan Good, while his mom was taught by Ryan’s father, Nelson Good). In fact, Trinh said, his mom used to babysit Ryan Good. 

It was his first homecoming since graduating from 91����, Trinh said, and the D.C. reunion offered a way for both him and his mom to get involved. 

“There’s always a lot of chatter about how 91���� is changing,” he said. “The reason I really enjoyed my time here is the professors who taught me. They were in it to help students grow. So, as long as people like them stick around, I think 91���� is in good hands.”

It had been a little more than a decade since Chris Fretz ’05 had been back to Harrisonburg. But for the economic development grad, who now works as a web developer for a marketing agency in Lancaster, the 20th reunion was enough of a draw to bring him back to campus. His wife, Lindsey Frye ’04, was a student and staff member for the D.C. program and so they also attended the 50th anniversary gathering. 

Some of the biggest changes he’s noticed since he’s been gone include Common Grounds’ move upstairs and the renovation of the old gym into the MainStage Theater, though other changes less visible have been just as significant. 

“It’s been encouraging to see the growing diversity of 91���� and to see that the administration is really looking to meet students where they’re at,” Fretz said. 

Meet-and-greet with Interim President Dycus

At a meet-and-greet with 91����’s interim president inside the Campus Center, the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus answered questions from first-generation student and senior nursing major Emily Suarez Nunez. Dycus spoke about her path to 91���� and to the leadership position she’s held since July 1, as well as what excites her most. 

She called on alumni to loudly and proudly share the stories of 91����’s successes and talk to others about how 91���� has impacted their lives, their children’s lives, and the ways their families have been nurtured by the university.

“We’re not proud enough about who 91���� is, but we have an amazing community here, a meaningful mission, and it shows up across the world,” said Dycus, who is the first Black woman to serve in the role. “And I am most excited about being able to be the person who gets to advocate for that everywhere I go.”

TenTalks

At the annual hosted at Martin Chapel on Saturday afternoon, 91����’s three 2025 alumni award winners each had 10 minutes to impact, influence, and inspire the audience. This marked the first time that alumni award winners presented at the event.

The speakers were: 

• Jessica “Jess” King ’96, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, has led equity-driven public sector organizations for more than 20 years. She spoke on the theme of fear and the role it’s played in her career and in her life.
• Outstanding Alum of the Year Brittany Caine-Conley MDiv ’14, one of the lead organizers for Congregate Charlottesville, shared her experiences making connections with local justice groups leading up to the white supremacist rally in 2017 and spoke on the importance of solidarity.
• Alum of the Year Fabrice Guerrier MA ’15 (conflict transformation), founder and CEO of the first collaborative worldbuilding production house for science fiction and fantasy storytelling, spoke about the power of imagination. He invited audience members to close their eyes and picture building a city on a new planet in the year 2035.

Royal City Celebration

Outside on the Front Lawn, the Royal City Celebration had everyone grooving to live music from the Richmond-based Premiere Band and savoring bites from food trucks offering barbecue, tacos, and ice cream. The crisp fall temperature and clear skies could not have been more perfect for the occasion.

The event also featured 91����’s second annual crowning of a homecoming court, which included:

• Seniors Jamaury Starks and Royale Parker
• Juniors Christopher Varone and Janaria Kenreich
• Sophomores Bennett de Tenley and Shawna Hurst
• First-years Johnathan Badowski and Logan Turchetta

Justin Reesor ’10 grew up in a Mennonite family in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, where he played volleyball in middle and high school. His cousin, Allan Reesor-McDowell ’02, played on the 91���� men’s volleyball team—and Reesor had traveled to see him play at a tournament in New York. His uncle, Robert Reesor ’89, and sister, Denise Reesor ’07, also attended 91����.

While visiting his sister, Reesor fell in love with the 91���� campus and Harrisonburg. “I thought it was a beautiful area, and I liked the idea of a small college with smaller classes and easier access to professors.” Reesor arrived in fall 2006 prioritizing academics and his social life, but after walking on during a scrimmage, he spent four years as a middle blocker on the 91���� men’s volleyball team under Coach Steve Benson.��

Reesor made an immediate impact. In his first season, he was named the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Western Conference Rookie of the Year and 91���� Newcomer of the Year. He earned spots on the NECVA All-Western Division Second Team in 2009 and the NECVA All-Western First Team in 2010. At the time of his graduation, Reesor led the Royals in career blocks (462) and sets played (406), and ranked fifth in career kills (867). 

While at 91����, Reesor majored in business administration and minored in accounting. He now serves as senior director of finance at Accumulus Synergy. He and his wife, Rachel Mast Reesor ’09, have three children: Emma (10), June (7), and Charlie (4). 

Reesor will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 10 a.m. in the MainStage Theater (University Commons 170) during Homecoming 2025. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit��emu.edu/homecoming.

Mitchell Leap ’12, a health and physical education major, followed in the footsteps of his parents, Bill ’86 and Renee Kreider Leap ’85, and attended 91���� after a successful soccer career at Eastern Mennonite School in Harrisonburg, a city he “always liked.” His mother has worked in 91����’s financial aid office since 1986. “I’d been around 91���� all my life, and I thought it would be a good place to continue my education and play soccer.” 

During his four years as a forward under head men’s soccer coach Roger Mast, Leap was a two-time All-ODAC First Team honoree, earning the distinction in 2009 and 2011, and made the Second Team in 2008. He received VaSID All-State First Team honors in 2011 and VaSID All-State Second Team honors in 2008 and 2009. One of the most prolific scorers in 91���� men’s soccer history, Leap ranks fourth all-time in the Royals’ record book for career goals (35) and fifth for total points (80).

Leap looks back fondly on the tight-knit campus community at 91����. “There’s value in attending a place where you feel like you know everybody and everybody knows you.” His connection to 91���� Men’s Soccer continued after graduation: his brother, Parker Leap ’16, also played forward for the Royals, and his cousin, Justin Carey MBA ’21, has served as head coach since 2022. 

Today, Leap lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, with his wife of nine years, Amber, and their three children—Rory (6), Rhema (3), and Mesa (1). He works in full-time ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as area representative for the City of Lynchburg and Amherst County. 

Leap will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 10 a.m. in the MainStage Theater (University Commons 170) during Homecoming 2025. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit emu.edu/homecoming.

David Falk ’15, a general studies major with a concentration in business, grew up in Madison, Virginia, where he had an impressive high school basketball career. He spent a postgraduate year playing at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, before head men’s basketball coach Kirby Dean recruited him to 91����. 

As a 6-foot, 6-inch center, Falk played in 105 games with 56 starts, tallying 1,058 career points in four seasons with the Runnin’ Royals. He was a two-time ODAC First Team honoree, earning the distinction in 2014 and 2015; he received VaSID All-State First Team honors those same two years. Falk also made the D3hoops.com All-South Region Third Team in 2014 and the D3hoops.com All-South Region Second Team in 2015.

At the time of his graduation, Falk held an 91���� career record for blocks (214) and ranked third all-time in career rebounds with 952. Today, he still holds 91���� records for most rebounds in a game (28 vs. Lynchburg on Feb. 28, 2014), most rebounds in a season (375 in 2013-2014), and most blocked shots in a season (82 in 2013-2014).

After learning life lessons from Coach Dean—including “having perspective” and “to always have faith in God”—Falk returned to Madison where he and his wife, Katelynn, live with their two children, Preslee (4) and McCoy (2), on a 2,000-acre farm focused on cattle, corn, and soybeans.��

Falk will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 10 a.m. in the MainStage Theater (University Commons 170) during Homecoming 2025. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit��emu.edu/homecoming.

JESSICA (JESS) KING ’96 has worked to bring the foundational lessons of her Mennonite upbringing and education to others during her more than 20-year career leading equity-driven public sector organizations—from creating economic opportunity to facilitating transparency in government to building journalistic literacy in communities. In recognition of her work, 91����’s Alumni Association and its Awards and Nominations Committee have selected King as the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Service Award, which honors alumni who have significantly impacted the lives of others. 

“It’s an honor to be recognized by my alma mater,” said King, who graduated from 91���� with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with minors in English, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and psychology. 

Service lights the way

After graduation, King volunteered with Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service (PULSE), founded by 91���� alumnus John Stahl-Wert ’81. In an experience she likened to a post-graduate program, King joined a community of young leaders to partner with Pittsburgh nonprofits for a year of service and leadership. She served at the Thomas Merton Center, a Catholic-founded center for peace and justice, and was later hired as executive director of PULSE, where she spent four years expanding her understanding of urban communities and the local businesses, organizations, and governments that serve them.��

King then led a six-year effort as founding executive director of the Union Project to transform an abandoned church building into an arts and enterprise incubator space. She spent more than a decade in Pittsburgh, where she met her husband, Chad. The couple has two daughters, Eleni and Esmé King Martin. Both Jessica and Esmé were greatly impacted by their intercultural studies at 91����; Jessica studied in Greece and lived with families in France and Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa), while Esmé, a rising junior at 91����, spent the spring 2025 semester in Guatemala and Mexico.��

Foundations in community��

King grew up Mennonite in Lancaster County. Her father was killed in a plane crash when she was two. After her mother remarried, her mother and stepfather started a paint store, where King and her three siblings all worked at different points. 

“Growing up, my family had a robust network of support, and our church community was also an essential part of our local economy,” King said. “Connections are important for a prosperous community.” 

King has intentionally lived in low-income neighborhoods for much of her adult life, creating relationships and solidarity that have informed her work and career path—from Pittsburgh to Lancaster, where she fought poverty through entrepreneurship for seven years as executive director at ASSETS; ran for Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District; and served four “eye-opening” years as chief of staff for the City of Lancaster. 

“There’s a narrative that our situations in life are based on our choices, but generational trauma and poverty, oppression based on race or gender, and access to quality education are huge factors. The rules of our economy are created by the wealthy and well-connected, creating systems of opportunity and disinvestment that are so much more than choice,” said King. 

She says that Jesus teaches us about economic issues more than many other Christian themes. “Loving our neighbors as ourselves includes examining and changing socioeconomic systems that support people,” she said. 

Since September 2023, King has served as inaugural executive director of in Lancaster. The nonprofit is focused on funding innovation in local news to support informed and engaged communities. It is also working “upstream from news” to build trust, center solutions, and equip action.��

King says her recent work reminds her of the conflict transformation teachings at 91����, including those taught by John Paul Lederach.��

“Change is possible,” said King. “We can choose not to participate in the dystopian fears that can paralyze and isolate us. Values, teachings, and examples from 91���� and the broader world provide guideposts and road maps to other ways forward.”��

King will share her story at 91���� TenTalks, held on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 1:30 p.m. in Martin Chapel during Homecoming 2025. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit��emu.edu/homecoming.

Herm is sending out his Royal roar, calling all 91���� alumni, family, friends, students, and community members, both near and far, back to campus for Homecoming 2025 from Oct. 10-12.

This year’s lineup of events offers something for everyone, from the Royal City Celebration with local food trucks and live music, to an evening of a capella, and a pair of planetarium shows. That’s not to mention all the program and affinity gatherings, alumni and athletic awards, athletic events, TenTalks, and more!

The homecoming website is your complete source for events, updates, and registration. The deadline to register for those events marked with an asterisk (*) is Oct. 1.

91����’s alumni award winners and TenTalks presenters are:
Jess King ’96, Brittany Caine-Conley ’14, and Fabrice Guerrier MA ’15 (conflict transformation).

91���� Athletics will recognize four Hall of Honor inductees:
athletic events coordinator Phil Guengerich ’70, volleyball middle blocker Justin Reesor ‘10, soccer forward Mitchell Leap ’12, and basketball center David Falk ’15.  

Look for the ⓕ and  icons that denote a livestreamed event available on the and pages. You do not need an account to view these events.

Athletics events will be streamed through the website.

Here are a few highlights of the weekend. See the full schedule for more details.

Friday, Oct. 10

Golden Alumni Luncheon*ⓕ
11:30 a.m-1:30 p.m.
Martin Chapel (Seminary Building)
Alumni who attended 91���� 50 or more years ago (classes of 1975 and earlier) will gather for a program and luncheon that includes the induction of the class of ’75. Tickets are $25.

A Walk Down Memory Lane*
2-3 p.m.
Outdoor steps of Martin Chapel
This guided campus tour features stops at historic and modern spaces, including the new Track & Field Complex and recently renovated Student Union, Common Grounds Coffeehouse, and Admissions Office.

Friday’s reunions	Saturday’s reunions
Classes of ’65 and ’70* 2-4 p.m. Seminary Building 204��LOCATION CHANGED TO:��Campus Center – Greeting Hall Tickets are $10 Class of ’75*ⓕ 2-4 p.m. Martin Chapel Class of ’80* 2-4 p.m. Campus Center Greeting Hall��LOCATION CHANGED TO:��Seminary Building 204 Tickets are $10	Class of ’95* 4-6 p.m. Sage Bird Ciderworks (325 N. Liberty St., Harrisonburg) HoCo “5s & 0s” After-Party* (Classes of 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020) 8:30-10:30 p.m. Capital Ale House (41-A Court Square, Harrisonburg) Tickets are $20

A Capella Celebration*ⓕ
7:30 p.m.
Lehman Auditorium
Enjoy an evening of music with a special collaboration of local a capella groups. Tickets are $10.

Saturday, Oct. 11

Homecoming Kickoff Celebration ⓕ
9-9:45 a.m.
Lehman Auditorium
Kick off the day with a welcome from Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon Dycus, live music, and tasty treats.

Hall of Honor Ceremony
10-11 a.m.
MainStage Theater (University Commons 170)
Celebrate the 2025 Hall of Honor inductees: athletic events coordinator Phil Guengerich ‘70, volleyball middle blocker Justin Reesor ’10, soccer forward Mitchell Leap ’12, and basketball center David Falk ’15.

COLOR RUN��CANCELLED

Interim President Meet-And-Greet
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Campus Center greeting hall
Connect with 91����’s new interim president, Rev. Dr. Shannon Dycus, at this meet-and-greet.

Planetarium Viewings*
Discovery Room (Suter Science Center 101)
12:30-1:15 p.m. and 1:15-2 p.m.
Explore the cosmos with a demonstration of 91����’s planetarium projector, which was restored this spring by a group of 2025 engineering graduates for their senior capstone project.

91���� TenTalks ⓕ
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Martin Chapel
Prepare to be impacted, influenced, and inspired at this annual event, modeled after the world-famous TED Talks. For the first time in Homecoming history, this year’s TenTalks features 91����’s three alumni award winners—visionary artist and futurist Fabrice Guerrier MA ’15 (conflict transformation), organizer Brittany Caine-Conley ’14, and leader Jess King ’96—who will be sharing their stories for 10 minutes each with a Q&A at the end.

Royal City Celebration
3-7 p.m.
Thomas Plaza and the Front Lawn
After a successful debut at last year’s Homecoming, this crowd favorite is back! All alumni and affinity groups are invited to the weekend’s largest gathering, featuring entertainment, live music from the Richmond-based , local food trucks, and plenty of fun.

Sunday, Oct. 12

Homecoming Worship Service ⓕ
10 a.m.
Martin Chapel
Dr. Benjamin Bergey, associate professor of music at 91����, leads worship in this reflective and meaningful service featuring music from the 91���� Chamber Singers.

*Registration required
ⓕ  Livestream available on Facebook and YouTube

More than 120 alumni who attended 91���� (then Eastern Mennonite College, or EMC) 50 or more years ago gathered for the Jubilee Luncheon in Martin Chapel on Friday. Eighty of those in attendance represented the class of 1974 and were inducted into the Jubilee Alumni Association.

Alumni traveled from near and far to attend the luncheon, sharing treasured memories and lessons learned from their time at 91����. Jackie Sullivan Smoot ‘74, who taught in the Shenandoah school system for 37 years, talked about her life-changing intercultural experience teaching for a summer in Atlanta. “I grew up that summer. My appreciation for my family, for life in general, grew that summer,” said the Shenandoah, Va. alumna.

For Joe Fretz ‘74, the questions raised at 91���� served as a sort of anchor, grounding him through loss and his faith journey long after graduation. “The courage to question turned out to be the great gift I received from 91����,” said the Colorado-based alumnus.

June Smucker-Handrich ‘74 traveled from Oregon. Patricia Lehman ‘74 traveled 41 hours from Washington state, and Kirk Martin ‘74 and Callie Kan flew over 9,000 miles from Singapore. Alumni who attended the luncheon came from a total of 14 states and three countries.

Friday afternoon continued with an art opening at 91����’s Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery. The packed exhibition featured the work of Becca Gish ‘09, Rhoda Miller ‘03 and Jon Styer ‘07. The alumni spoke about how the natural world inspired their pieces and about their artistic journeys during and after 91����.

Styer says he developed a love for combining arts forms—drawing, painting and graphic design—at 91���� where he had the opportunity to “explore all of the arts.”

View the exhibition through Nov. 8! The gallery is open Monday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Friday night came to a close with the Royal Appreciation Reception: Royals in the Land of Oz in University Commons. More than 190 alumni and donors chatted over hors d’oeuvres prepared by food service director Shannon Grinnan and her Pioneer College Catering team. Attendees, which also included student leaders, enjoyed gourmet cheeses to apple pie pot stickers to a ginger apple mocktail with fresh mint from the 91���� gardens.

President Susan Schultz Huxman shared updates about the university at the event; she punctuated each update with an on-theme quote from The Wizard of Oz. “There’s no place like a welcoming and inclusive home,” Huxman said. “Creating spaces for all students to be seen and validated is an ongoing, collective effort across the university.”

President Huxman kicked off the Opening Celebration Breakfast on Saturday in University Commons. “This morning we celebrate achievements. We celebrate careers. We celebrate memories.” The breakfast recognized Seth Crissman ‘09, MDiv ‘15 with the Outstanding Young Alum Award; Kendra Conrad Bailey ‘03, MA ‘05 with the Alum of the Year Award; and Dr. Lee Roy Berry Jr. ‘66 with the Distinguished Service Award. (Crissman, Bailey, and Berry are pictured left to right above.)

Following the breakfast, a separate ceremony celebrated Hall of Honor inductees Gina Troyer ‘93 (volleyball, basketball, and softball); Bianca Ygarza ‘14 (basketball); Roland Landes (professor and coach of men’s cross-country, baseball, men’s basketball, women’s cross-country, and track and field); and Michael Allen ‘13 (track and field). Each inductee was introduced by a family member, friend, or coach. (Troyer, Ygarza, Landes, and Allen are pictured left to right above.)

More than 300 people—alumni, affinity groups, clubs, programs and departments—filled the Front Lawn for food, fellowship and fun at the Royal City Celebration. Music by the 91���� Gospel Choir, music professor Dr. David Berry, and the Walking Roots Band featuring Seth Crissman ‘09, MDiv ‘15; Perry Blosser ‘18; Greg Yoder; Kristina (Landis) Yoder ‘09; Mitchell Yoder ‘09; and Lauren Yoder ‘09 provided the backdrop for the sunshiny setting. Deanna Reed, mayor of Harrisonburg and director of alumni engagement & community connections, brought the emcee energy.

The Royal City Celebration also brought 91����’s first crowning of a homecoming court. The court included first-year students Ella Richer (environmental science) and Jack Gallagher (business); sophomores Caleb Metzler (political science, sociology, Spanish) and Kaylene Todd (psychology); juniors Leah Beachy (nursing) and Joshua Stucky (nursing); and seniors Adam Stolzfus (engineering) and Adriana Jacobs (physical education). (Gallagher, Todd, Beachy, Stucky, Stotzfus, and Jacobs are pictured left to right above; Richer and Metzler are not pictured.)

The two students elected from each class were chosen by the student body as role models, leaders, and contributors to the campus community. Laughter and cheers ensued as members were introduced and crowned with glittering tiaras by Ka’Shea Jones-Mitchell, administrative assistant for advancement.

Modeled after TED Talks, 91���� TenTalks featured three speakers—Ashley Mellinger ‘24; Adesola Johnson, senior biology major; and Dr. Mark Sawin, 91���� professor of history and honors program director—sharing their stories for 10 minutes each with a Q&A at the end.

Read a longer detailed write-up or

Saturday afternoon also included a Track & Field Complex Dedication featuring a planned program with remarks from donors and 91���� leaders. A pole run and relay race marked the official opening of the track where attendees were able to test out the surface for themselves.

Read a full write-up of the event.

Sports fans had a number of opportunities to get their fix during the weekend: an alumni baseball game that pitted grads against 91����’s baseball team, Women’s Field Hockey vs. Sweet Briar, Women’s Volleyball vs. Lynchburg, Women’s Soccer vs. Guilford, and Men’s Soccer vs. Lynchburg.

Topping off the festivities was a Sunday morning worship service at Park View Mennonite Church with the 91���� Chamber Singers. Additionally, alumni from the Black Student Alliance, Latinx Student Alliance, Asian Pacific Islanders Student Alliance, and Queer Student Alliance gathered on- and off-campus during the weekend.

91���� Theatre premiered its production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical on Friday. The show continues on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.

Check out the for any recorded events. We hope to see you again next year!

Johnson shared insights from her research on kidney disease using zebrafish at Notre Dame this past summer as well as her personal journey of falling in love with research. After an 91���� professor asked her to present research from an 91���� organic chemistry lab at UVA’s Chemical Society meeting, Johnson realized that she loved sharing her work with others. 

Johnson adheres to the personal motto “just keep swimming” from the movie Finding Nemo to guide her career choices. Her professors also highly influenced her journey into research through their constant encouragement and by providing opportunities including a trip to Australia to research fruit flies. “They have taught me to dream big and go for things I never would have expected myself to do,” she said.

Between nursing school and finishing her debut novel “Heartache on the Play Stage,” Mellinger was used to putting herself last. After a series of hardships while trying to become a licensed nurse post-graduation, she shared her realization of needing to prioritize herself.

“Trying to pour from an empty cup isn’t going to work,” she cautioned, detailing the ways in which she has begun to practice self-care, from sleep hygiene to exercise to choosing more nutritious foods. “Self care is not optional. It is essential for a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

Mark Sawin is a name known to many on campus, but his work is not limited to the classroom. Sawin spoke about his recent research and efforts to preserve Mrs. Isa Mae (Banks) Francis’ Green Book house where traveling Black folks stayed when hotels turned them away. Listed in the Green Book from 1953-1961, the house sits at 252 N. Mason Street. It is the last remaining Green Book house in Harrisonburg and was kept in its original state by siblings Henry and Lois Rouser, descendants of Mrs. Isa Mae (Banks) Francis.

William Reed, father of 91����’s own Mayor Deanna Reed, inherited the property from Lois Rouser in 2022. The Reeds called in experts, including Sawin, with the hope of further honoring the house’s legacy. Sawin has been researching the property and the family’s history because he says “being a historian is honoring people by telling their story.”