Crossroads Spring 2008 - Alumni Magazine of Eastern Mennonite University

crossroads eastern mennonite university

GOOD AT BUSINESS

spring 2008

OUr Vision... do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God

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vol. 88, No. 3

crossroads SPRING 2008, Vol. 88, No. 3

Crossroads (USPS 174-860) is published by Eastern Mennonite University for distribution to 16,000 alumni, students, parents and friends.

Board of Trustees: Susan Godshall, chair, Mount Joy, Pa.; John M. Bomberger, Harrisonburg, Va.; Andrew Dula, Lancaster, Pa.; Gilberto Flores, Newton, Kan.; Curtis D. Hartman, Harrisonburg, Va.; Shirley Hochstetler, Kidron, Ohio; Gerald (Gerry) R. Horst, New Holland, Pa.; Joan King, Telford, Pa.; Linford D. King, Lancaster, Pa.; Herb H. Noll, Lancaster, Pa.; Kathleen (Kay) Nussbaum, Grant, Minn.; Kathy Keener Shantz, Lancaster, Pa.; J. Richard Thomas, Ronks, Pa.; Lillis Troyer, Walnut Creek, Ohio; Diane Z. Umble, Lancaster, Pa.; Paul R. Yoder, Jr., Harrisonburg, Va. Associate trustees: Myron E. Blosser, Harrisonburg, Va.; Steve Brenneman, Nappanee, Ind.; Robert (Bob) P. Hostetler, Erie, Pa.; Clyde G. Kratz, Broadway, Va.; Amy L. Rush, Harrisonburg, Va.; Dan Garber, Hutchinson, Kan.; Carlos Romero, Mennonite Education Agency rep, Goshen, Ind.; Judith Trumbo, Broadway, Va. Loren Swartzendruber, president; Beryl Brubaker, provost; Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement; Andrea Wenger, marketing and communications director.

Bonnie Price Lofton Matthew Styer Editor/writer Designer/photographer bonnie.lofton@emu.edu matt.styer@emu.edu Paul T. Yoder Mileposts editor paul.t.yoder@emu.edu

Jim Bishop Public information officer bishopj@emu.edu

Marcy Gineris Jason Garber Web content manager Web\new media coord. marcy.gineris@emu.edu jason.garber@emu.edu Lindsey Roeschley Jon Styer Project coordinator Assistant designer lindsey.roeschley@emu.edu jon.styer@emu.edu Brooke Fansler Work-study assistant

Cover photo:

By Matt Styer: of Jeff Boodie at O Magazine. See page 5.

POSTMASTER: Submit address changes to: Crossroads Eastern Mennonite University 1200 Park Road Harrisonburg, VA 22802 (540) 432-4000 www.emu.edu

Kudos to Our Business People Ben M. Miller, my maternal grandfather, was an entrepreneur though he may never have heard of the term. It’s not likely that there was such a word in his native Pennsylvania Dutch language!

According to Allon Lefever, recently retired director of EMU’s MBA program and continuing business instructor, the term entrepreneurship has its roots in the French language from 150 years ago but only became commonly used in the past 30 years. The two French terms, “entre” (meaning “between”) and “prendre” (meaning “to take”) came to connote the idea of “taking the risk between buyer and seller.”

Grandpa Miller started several businesses in southeast Iowa in the 1930s and ’40s. His oldest son, and two sons-in-law, including my father, joined him in a farm implement business where they were partners for more than 30 years. Many of my earliest memories are from “going to work” with my Dad. I knew that J.I. Case and New Holland farm equipment was the best – until I married into a John Deere farm family.

The business thrived under the leadership of the first and second generations. At one time it was the largest Case dealership in the states of Iowa and Nebraska. The farm crisis of the late 1970s, perhaps coupled with the fact that none of us in the third generation remained active in the business, eventually resulted in its demise. I will always be grateful for the practical experiences gained from personal involvement in a family business enterprise.

Years later, as a young pastor, I made an effort to visit most of the members at their places of employment and was surprised to meet with some resistance from a few business leaders. The reason for their hesitation was soon evident. For too many years they had felt the church wanted their money but was also critical of them as business folks. Ironically, most of the earlier pastors had been business leaders or farmers themselves, but as a recent seminary graduate I had to prove that I was not anti-business. Many of them became, and remain, close friends.

Neither Grandpa nor his partners completed high school. They didn’t have the distinct advantage of taking accounting, marketing, business law, economics and business management courses at EMU. It is quite possible the enterprise would have benefited enormously from such opportunities. They did embody some foundational principles that EMU teaches our current students. Integrity in all business matters was paramount. Treating one’s customers with respect and meeting their needs (so long as it didn’t interfere with “keeping the Sabbath holy”) was another. As owner/partners they paid themselves an hourly wage, and only shared additionally by splitting the profits that were generated during the year, and that only after appropriate reinvestments were made in the business.

My grandfather shared one other attribute with many EMU graduates. He was a philanthropist – another description he wouldn’t have applied to himself. I know this from the way others in the community described him, as one who was generous with his time and money.

As for many of our business graduates, his primary impetus for being in business was to create opportunities, meet specific community needs, and to give something back to the church and community.

University presidents are privileged to meet many successful individuals, each of them with a unique story to share. The vast majority of business leaders I’ve known strive to behave ethically, serve their customers with dignity, and offer their gifts for strengthening the communities in which they live. We are proud of and grateful to them.

Loren Swartzendruber

President

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2 Business Matters

This magazine issue highlights doing well while also doing good.

5

In this Issue

7

5 From EMU to Oprah

Upon graduation Jeff Boodie ’07 became “business coordinator” at O Magazine.

7 Against the Tide

Grace Styer ’79 was a pro-business woman, ahead of her times in more than one way.

11 Enterprising Folks

Thirty-one photos featuring 55 alumni from all walks of business.

34 Business and Professional

11

34

38

48

Sampling of alumni making a difference, usually profitably, in a wide array of ventures.

38 Entrusting Their Children Our alumni lead the way nationally in percentage of legacies at EMU.

41 Mileposts

Check on the life journey, callings and accomplishments of alumni.

48 My Second Chance

Attorney Sarah Moffett ’02 reflects .on how EMU impacted her life.

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BUSINESSMATTERS Editor’s Comment

by Bonnie Price Lofton

O

photo by Jason Hostetter

ut of every 10 alumni reading this magazine, at least one or two ought to have their names in this issue. I’m making an educated guess – from studying our alumni records – that 1,000 to 2,000 of you are working in businesses.

You’ll see that there aren’t thousands of names in this issue – we weren’t able to contact everyone for reasons to be explained in a few moments. But there are hundreds of names.

Most names mentioned in this issue are connected to businesses in areas that were rural or small town 50 years ago. Many of the businesses revolve around supplying food or lodging. Or around construction on previously agricultural land. Some of the businesses provide the information and skills that people need to improve their lives.

Few of the businesses (maybe none) are rapacious, unhealthy or “adult-only.” As far as I can tell, EMU’s alumni group contains no X-rated movie producers or cigarette marketers.

Of the graduates with high managetackle “thorny ethical issues” in his busiment positions, about half appear to have ness now. Today Terra Group is partnering majored in business or something businesswith Russian scientists on using appropriate related, like accounting. These graduates say technology – namely, a uniquely configured they rely frequently on what they learned in aluminum turbine – to make hydro-electric classes such as accounting, human resources, or wind power. strategic planning, economics, business eth“This [‘Lucid Energy’] could provide the ics and corporate social responsibility. world with the power it needs with minimal Steve Brenneman ’94, chief executive ofimpact on the environment,” says Steve. ficer of Terra Group (a new name for an en- “Lucid’s systems have little or no detrimenlarged company previously known as Naptal effect on surrounding ecosystems and panee Windows), notes wryly that he wasn’t do not produce any harmful byproducts.” a serious student when he came to EMU in (www.lucidenergy.com) 1990. He majored in business administraIronically, alumni who pursued nontion, but mainly wanted to play basketball business majors seem no less successful as and find a wife – which he did. Yet Steve business persons. Jeff Boodie ’07, business did absorb the social-justice lessons taught coordinator for O, The Oprah Magazine (see here, and he believes this motivates him to pages 5 and 6), started EMU in pre-med but 2 | crossroads | spring 2008

Wilmer Otto ’73 has expanded his business interests far beyond this building (left) in downtown Arcola, Ill. He operates several businesses in the midwest and in Eastern Europe. He has real estate interests in Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Romania and Ukraine.

His company, Equipment Direct-USA, has led the way in developing U.S. Export-Import Bank financing for the export of second-hand heavy equipment to Ukraine and Russia. With German and Ukrainian partners, Wilmer has also organized an equipment leasing company based in Cyprus.

switched to liberal arts. Grace Witmer Styer ’79, chief financial officer for an array of family enterprises (pages 7-10), was a dietetics major. Elaine Warfel Stauffer ’72, owner of Warfels Sweet Shoppe (page 18), majored in middle school education.

Strong Roots an Asset “I think the agricultural background of the families of many of our students helps them to be successful in business,” says Spencer Cowles, PhD, who has taught in EMU’s business department since 1988.

“The qualities needed for entrepreneurial success – hard work, persistence in the face of setbacks and even failures, adaptability, spotting market opportunities, discipline,

strategic planning – are present in successful farm operations.

“The incidence of successful entrepreneurship among our graduates is phenomenal.”

Some of this success may be due to a tradition of strong, loyal families in the Mennonite world. The trajectory of liberalarts major Phil Wenger ’82, owner of Isaac’s restaurant chain, provides a case study.

Phil comes from a long line of preachers and teachers in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

His grandfather A.D. Wenger was Eastern Mennonite’s second president, 1922 to 1935.

Phil and his six siblings followed the path of their parents, Chester ’34 and Sara ’42 Wenger, to higher education at Eastern Mennonite. Phil did non-profit work in Washington, D.C., for a few years before returning home to Lancaster, Pa..

Phil wanted to start a business, but had no money. With the help of his parents and fellow alum Isaac Williams ’78, Phil was able to launch a small sandwich shop only a year after graduation. “My parents believed in me, when all I had was college debt,” Phil says. His parents took out a mortgage on their home and loaned Phil $25,000. “You can’t go bankrupt on your parents,” he offers with a smile as he recalls the difficult start-up years. Isaac’s Restaurants now encompasses 650 employees at 20 locations, dotting central Pennsylvania.

Doing Well and Doing Good The book Entrepreneurs in the Faith Community—Profiles of Mennonites in Business (Herald Press, 1996), edited by Calvin W. Redekop and Benjamin W. Redekop, noted tension until recently within many Mennonite churches over whether it was possible to be both a good businessperson and a good Christian. Many Mennonites felt a person could not “serve the kingdom of God and the faith community by pursuing wealth and power in the ‘world’.”

The Redekops’ book, however, made the strong case – through profiling a dozen entrepreneurs who also supported church and mission work – that ethical business people could be, and often are, assets to the Anabaptist community, given their energy, drive, creativity, willingness to take risks, and ability to recover from setbacks. Not to mention their importance as employers and as philanthropists. The book raised some issues that bear pondering today:

Reality-Based and Fun… That’s Business at EMU Ask him about managing business, learning business, teaching business – on what works and what doesn’t – and then enjoy the stories. Terry Whitmore has been around.

He got his undergraduate degree from EMU. Sociology, class of 1970. He encouraged his wife Jennifer to get her degree too. She did so at EMU in 2002, after almost two years of night classes in management and organizational development.

Terry earned an MBA from a large state-supported university, a place where he has since taught marketing; he has also taught business at a community college.

These days Terry teaches courses in EMU’s business department as well as in the Adult Degree Completion Program, which he helped start in 1995. Terry also served as an advisor in launching EMU’s MBA program in 1999.

The teaching is part-time. For his “day job,” Terry helps his father run the family business, E & M Auto Paint & Supply Corporation in Harrisonburg.

“I tell my people and my students, ‘You can make the numbers and trash the people.’ My apTerry Whitmore ’70 proach is if you get the relationships right, the business will unfold. It’s not that hard to make money.” Which is why he likes teaching at EMU more than at the big state-supported university or the community college. He thinks EMU “gets it.” Instead of simply teaching accounting, finance, economics and other courses focused on maximizing the value of the enterprise, Terry says that EMU’s professors know that “people skills” and “ethical principles” will have a bigger impact on one’s life and business over the long run.

“What is most appealing to me about EMU is its emphasis on real-life learning, positive relationships, integrating diversity, and having a sense of community and connectedness,” says Terry. “The combination offers an enormously powerful message.”

Terry and Jennifer Whitmore aren’t Mennonite. Like about half of the graduates these days, this couple likes Mennonite-style Christianity and education, but aren’t Mennonites themselves.

Referring to Terry’s list of EMU positives, economics professor Dr. Chris Gingrich points out that it’s easier to forge relationships when your class is small, taught by a professor who knows you personally and who can give you a custom-tailored reference when you need it. “Some of my students do research with me; Carmen Horst (’01) published an article with me,” says Gingrich.

“But we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” he adds. “We have a lot of fun in the classroom. We also joke about our hobbies and sports. There’s give and take. We sometimes learn something through playing games.”

In the MBA program, co-director Dr. Tony Smith says students become close to one another as a result of EMU’s cohort model in which a group enters and finishes together: “A real estate broker with a health care professional, next to a book distributor, by a banker… It sure makes discussions interesting!”

“They learn from each other as much as they learn from us,” adds Dr. Ron Stoltzfus, the other MBA director, who has taught accounting at EMU since 1984.

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At least some of the success of Anabaptist business people can be traced to the strong moral character and work ethic instilled by their religious upbringing, centered around family and community ties. As a general rule, these entrepreneurs have not experienced the kinds of personal problems – such as messy divorces, substance abuse and business scandals – that often bedevil the “movers and shakers” of the world.

That’s the good news.

Spencer Cowles, business dept. head

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Yet what happens when the social norms – the community mores – that helped shape these entrepreneurs come to feel suffocating and confining? Do the entrepreneurs conform to them and remain in the church community, or do they break away from it?

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When business people are successful, often they face mixed reactions in their communities. They may be both resented for their success and envied for it. What are appropriate Christian reactions to business success?

Chris Gingerich, business professor

4

The road to business success is rarely smooth. Set-backs and mistakes are inevitable, sometimes even resulting in bankruptcy. How empathetic and supportive is the church community when such set-backs occur? How much understanding do business people receive when they must lay off employees and reduce or discontinue their charitable contributions in the face of necessary belt-tightening?

5 Anthony Smith, MBA co-director

Making money and remaining true to one’s beliefs and morals do not always go hand-in-hand. Where does one draw the line? If land development will damage a sensitive ecological system, what is the right course of action? If your product is needed by the U.S. military, do you supply it? If launching a business will require you to neglect your family for the next five years, should the business be launched? What percentage of one’s profits should be re-invested in the business and what percentage given to meet the needs of other worthy causes?

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Finally, if you are a successful entrepreneur, do you strive to use your resources wisely during the flush times – to be good stewards of what is in your hands or under your control – or do you find yourself

yielding to the urge to spend wastefully and unnecessarily to meet growing material desires, encouraged by the greater society in which we live?

To be certain, this issue of Crossroads does not attempt to answer these questions.

Instead it could provide food for conversation on these topics by demonstrating that hundreds of EMU’s graduates have moved far beyond the stage of previous generations who wondered, “Should we be involved in business?”

The answer is now a resounding “Yes!” EMU alumni are key players in retail businesses, banks, insurance and accounting firms, hotels, restaurants, publishing houses, law offices, land development, and construction-related industries. Some, but no longer the majority, farm or work in farm-based enterprises. Alumni are also in health-related businesses, but that is the subject of the following (summer) issue of Crossroads, so we will leave those aside for now.

The alumni pictured in this issue were picked fairly randomly. We (the editor and her advisory board) sought photo subjects to which our photographer could travel in a week-long journey by car from Harrisonburg. We wanted variety, not just middle-aged men doing business at a desk topped by a computer terminal. We wanted small and large businesses in our sample.

We wanted alumni who had stayed close to EMU as well as alumni who had lost touch with us.

For the listing of businesses beginning on page 34, we attempted to send a short survey by e-mail to about 1,000 alumni whom we had reason to believe were working in business-related jobs. The majority of those e-mail addresses proved to be out-of-date and therefore useless. Sometimes we were able to find alternate e-mail addresses by using Internet search tools to locate alumni, or by phoning alumni. Most of what we gleaned is on pages 11 through 37, but this is probably no more than 15% of our “alumni in businesses.”

The summer ’08 issue of crossroadsCrossroads will contain a supplemental listing, consisting of everyone who goes to this website: www.emu.edu/crossroads/update

photo by matthew styer

Jeff Boodie ’07 in the “O” Magazine archive room

From EMU to Oprah Magazine H

e is not the stereotypical Mennonite. porting to general manager Nancy Denholtz, He was raised in New York City. He Jeff is one of two magazine staffers who went to public schools. He works work with major advertisers. “A lot of what for a large corporation. And neither of his I do is pricing,” he explains. parents has Swiss, German, Dutch or Rus“Coming from a middle-class background, sian roots. it’s unreal to me – it’s becoming normal for Check your assumptions, though. When me to tell an advertiser that the charge is Jeff Boodie ’07 came to EMU in 2003, “I $224-grand,” Jeff says. That’s the cost of two finally fit in – I was surrounded by people pages on regular 50-pound stock for one who thought and believed like I do.” month of a full-run that reaches 16.5 million Jeff’s mother, Eudina Boodie, raised her U.S. subscribers. four children in the Mennonite Church, Jeff says the job suits him. “I love talking attending Burnside Mennonite Church to people. I love change, being in a vibrant in the Bronx (now called King of Glory fast-paced environment. It’s fun; it’s easy for Tabernacle). me. I like being on the revenue end, feeling Today, just one year after matriculating like I am helping to keep the magazine as a liberal arts major, Jeff is the “business afloat.” coordinator” for O, The Oprah Magazine, It helps that Jeff likes the magazine itself. published by the Hearst Corporation. Re“The media industry is not known for be-

ing morally focused – I mean, Cosmo is all about sex – I would not feel good working there. But Oprah suits me. She and the magazine are all about how to live your best life. She implements this philosophy with her staff. We are treated well.”

Jeff started working for the Hearst publishing group the summer before his senior year at EMU. He worked in the accounting department at the Hearst headquarters in New York City, through which passed the financial statements of some 12 daily and 14 weekly newspapers across the nation. He met George B. Irish, president of Hearst Newspapers, and many other senior executives. He discovered that he felt at ease talking with one and all, from the president to the security guard at the door.

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photo by matthew styer

“EMU definitely challenged me to listen to other people on moral and ethical issues.”

for me to see beyond people’s titles. To me, they don’t matter. We are all humans in God’s eyes.”

Friendly and diligent, Jeff must have made a good impression – he was invited back to work with the Hearst corporation during the 2006 Christmas holiday period.

When he finished his college studies in the spring of 2007 and sought a permanent job, he immediately landed the O magazine position.

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hours-long conversations with friends in the dormitory, at Common Grounds and at Martin House. He also loved EMU’s international emphasis. Jeff has visited his father’s home country, Guyana, twice. Before coming to EMU, he went to Zimbabwe as part of Eastern Mennonite Seminary’s LEAP program. (LEAP – or Learning, Exploring And Participating – is offered to selected high school juniors and seniors each summer.) On two professor-led trips, Jeff went to Spain, Morocco and the Middle East, where he explored both Israel and the West Bank. This spring he plans to visit four EMU friends working in Equador. He keeps in touch with his wide network of college buddies via Facebook.

“EMU definitely challenged me to listen to other people on moral and ethical issues, but not to be afraid of questioning anything and to form my own opinions. I was one Jeff Boodie says Mom is proud. of those on campus who helped organize forums on homosexuality and discussions Jeff’s father, Michael – an engineer who surrounding the war in Iraq.” closely follows the work of the United At work when people learn that Jeff is Nations and of international politics – was Mennonite, a few wonder if he is Amish. skeptical that O magazine was a viable He laughs at the notion that he somehow career path for Jeff. He preferred something could have emerged from a horse-andcomparable to his own engineering work or buggy farm-family. “I tell them we are all to the dental practice of Jeff’s older brother.

Anabaptists, and that one of our biggest But “he’s coming around, and Mom was messages is peace. We are against war and really proud of me for landing a good job we are against poverty, and many of us are with a top magazine,” says Jeff. activists on these issues. But, no, we aren’t At EMU Jeff enjoyed exploring ideas in all Swiss-German Amish.”

photo by matthew styer

Grace Styer ’79 at her family’s Dutch Village Inn

She Never Bought Anti-Business Rhetoric L ike many of her fellow students in the late 1960s and 1970s, Grace Witmer ’79 questioned many aspects of the status quo in the Mennonite community.

Grace was drawn to praise music backed by drums and electric guitars, not just hymns sung a cappella. She thought women ought to have the same career opportunities as men and not be limited to teaching, health and social work, and missionary activities.

But one thing she did not question was the value of business and the virtues of many business people. “I got up and left

chapel one time – I was so offended,” Grace business, and all of them went to what was told Crossroads. The speaker had said somethen Eastern Mennonite College. thing about how greedy business people are.

“Dad paid for all of us to go, and now he And I thought, he does not know my father.” is helping his 26 grandchildren to go,” said “I used to tell people at college, ‘You don’t Grace. Grace is the fourth child. Her sibknow a lot of business people. They are the lings are, oldest to youngest: Ellen Witmer ones supporting this college and what you’re Bowman ’74, Irene Witmer Rhodes ’75, doing here. They’re very generous. They Miriam Witmer Reesor ’77, Sharon Witmer take a lot of risks and work very hard. You ’81, Rachel Witmer Martin ’82, Nelson should appreciate that.’”

Witmer ’87, Wayne Witmer ’88, and Becky In her own family, “Dad and Mom did Witmer O’Connor ’90. such a good job of being good givers.”

“It [a college education] was a wonderful There were nine children raised on the progift to all of us. Dad did not get to go to ceeds of Ralph Witmer’s farm equipment college. He grew up in a conservative www.emu.edu | crossroads | 7

“Women didn’t major in business back in the ’70s.”

Mennonite family and was the first one in Grace does the payroll for about 115 of the his family to finish high school.”

Witmer business’s 300 employees. She also Grace’s father and mother also generously does the books for her husband’s heirloomsupport Midway Mennonite Church in quality woodworking business, K. Alan Columbiana, Ohio.

Styer Cabinetmaker. And she manages the Grace majored in dietetics because Dutch Village Inn. “women didn’t major in business back in the Grace’s son Matt had no idea that his 1970s.” In her senior year, she explored the family was a major supporter of EMU, idea of running a bed and breakfast as part beyond contributing large numbers of of a class project for her food-management relatives to its classrooms, until… “I was class. She worked in a hospital just long walking along the track when a plaque with enough to realize that she definitely didn’t my grandparents’ names caught my eye.” want to be a dietician the rest of her life.

The plaque, mounted on a wall inside the Fresh out of college in 1979, she played southeast corner of the track in the Univera supporting role to the man she married, sity Commons, read: “Indoor track gifted Alan, a guitarist who toured with “Dayby Ralph and Doris Witmer.” Knowing his break.” For a year she accompanied him and grandfather’s love of running marathons his group on national tours, as he helped – he was almost age 80 before he stopped pioneer (sometimes in the face of criticism) entering them – Matt was not terribly surChristian music played in a contemporary prised at the nature of the gift. way. When they settled in Grace’s home area “Actually, Ralph and Doris have given of Greenford, Ohio, they started attending a much more than the indoor track,” says Baptist church where Alan’s musical talents Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement. were welcomed. Alan now serves as an elder “But they do their giving quietly, year after and is involved in the music ministry of year, both to big capital projects and to the Old North Church.

University Fund for scholarship assistance.”

The Styers kept their three children conGrace says she learned from her parents nected to their Mennonite heritage by send- that work should be viewed as a ministry, ing them to Mennonite summer camps and no matter what that work may be. “A major youth conventions and eventually to EMU. enjoyment for me is being in a business that (Today, both Matt ’05 and Jon ’07 Styer can give, both in hospitality and financially,” are designers and photographers in EMU’s she says. “I realize the importance of each Marketing and Communications Departemployee’s job, to them and their families, ment, with Matt being responsible for the and that we can pay them a decent wage. It look of this magazine. Sister Amanda plans is important that all our business practices to attend EMU in the fall.) are honest, fair and wise.

With no dependents at home these days, “It is an honor and huge responsibility to Grace is shouldering additional responsibili- carry on a family business – especially one ties as chief financial officer for the Witmer that for 71 years has been known for these family’s roster of enterprises in Columbiana, qualities. I had such a good example in my Ohio. These include Witmer’s Inc., a farmparents.” equipment and construction business, with brother Nelson as company president and For more information on Grace’s busifather Ralph as the chief executive officer; ness interests, visit these websites: the Dutch Village Inn, a 52-room inn and www.dasdutchvillage.com, banquet center, with adjacent shops; and www.witmersinc.com, and the Dutch Cupboard, a bulk food store. www.kastyer.com The Witmer family is also a partner in Das Dutch Haus Restaurant.

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photo by matthew styer

Grace Styer enjoys being in a business that can give, both in hospitality and financially. www.emu.edu | crossroads | 9

Multi-Tasking Mothers in Multi-Businesses The stories behind the women pictured and listed on pages 11 through 37 often echo that of Grace Witmer Styer ’79 (pages 7-9) in this sense: It seems that many EMU alumnae manage to combine roles of raising children with carrying heavy responsibilities in the business world.

As their children grow and become independent, these women often assume responsibility for a number of business endeavors, as if juggling multiple demands cannot possibly faze them.

“Certainly the most challenging part of being a woman in business has been the conflicting demands on my time, especially during the summers or when a child was sick,” said Grace.

“Fortunately, I had a partner that was a real partner in parenting.

Having Alan’s business on our home property also made it possible for us. He was the one that got the kids off the bus… Also my mother watched our kids and did our laundry for years, so I could help with the businesses. It would have been very difficult to do the jobs I do without all that support.”

In Atlanta, Karen Kurtz Gross ’75 is involved in four businesses.

She is the chief financial officer for the family company, Sticky Business (www.stickybusiness.net). This company prints and installs large-format graphics on vehicles, walls and buildings. Her husband, Joel Gross ’76, is the chief executive officer.

Karen also owns My Mama Had That, a shop offering antiques and collectibles in Decatur, Georgia. In addition, she is a private photo by jon styer

Allison Pierantoni Wilson ’86

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photo by jon styer

Donna Kraus Parrish ’81 contractor, offering her nurse practitioner services for about seven hours a week to residents in a senior independent-living community.

Finally, she is the co-founder and co-manager of a Ten Thousand Villages store in Atlanta.

Beginning in 1990 Karen pooled her savings with that of elementary teacher Marg Lambert. They bought fairly traded crafts and sold them in homes and at churches. By 1993 they had raised enough money to open a Ten Thousand Villages store. (Ten Thousand Villages, www.tenthousandvillages.com, markets fairly traded home decor and gift items made by artisans from around the world who would otherwise be unemployed or under-employed.)

The children of Karen and Joel Gross, Conrad and Amanda, both came to EMU for their undergraduate studies.

Donna Kraus Parrish ’81, the mother of three children, and Allison Pierantoni Wilson ’86, married to John ’86 and mother of two, recently joined forces to launch Dana DZigns, which markets artisan-woven and textile products produced by the Priscilla Centres in northeast India.

Donna and Allison explain that the Priscilla Centres help empower poverty-stricken women, most rescued from “red-light” districts and often HIV positive (www.priscillacentre.com). The women are taught region-specific sewing and weaving skills, along with skills needed for business and daily living. ”I am thankful that I can combine my love of India with the skills I’ve developed in business,” says Donna.

Donna co-owns, with her husband Timothy, Cornerstone Foundations (www.cfpours.com). The company provides complete foundation services, including footers, walls, slabs and waterproofing. Donna takes care of administrative matters, such as benefits and personnel. Allison, a certified public accountant, does the books.

Allison’s husband John, is in charge of business development.

Meanwhile Allison is co-owner with Donna of a third company called Valley Stone Slinger Services. This six-year-old business consists of three specialized trucks that not only haul the gravel to a job site, but “sling” the gravel 70-plus feet via a conveyor arm attached to the truck.

“Being a mom first and a business woman second has been a wonderful life so far,” says Donna. “My business interests and endeavors expanded as my children grew up, so the mom/career conflict has not been overwhelmingly significant.”

Enterprising Folks The folks in the photos

photo by matthew styer

on pages 11 through 33 represent a sample of alumni who make their living from businesses of some kind. The selection was mostly by chance, often determined by whose current e-mails and phone numbers we had, who answered our messages, and who worked within a day’s drive of our photographers.

Many of these alumni have prospered, others are struggling. Some have known periods of insolvency, especially during recessions. Most have benefited from having a wide network of family and community support, a characteristic of the Mennonite world.

CHRISTOPHER MARTIN ’92 // Senior Supply Chain & Commodity Manager in Pa. // Auntie Anne’s Hand Rolled Soft Pretzels // Pretzel franchise with 750 domestic locations. // www.auntieannes.com

www.emu.edu | crossroads | 11

photo by matthew styer

HILDA A. SHIRK ’74, PHD // Consultant based in Lancaster, Pa. // Project management for nonprofit organizations // E-mail: hilda@dejazzd.com

12 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

PHIL RISSER ’80 // Co-owner with wife Pam ’80 // Shady Maple Jersey Dairy Farm in Greencastle, Pa. // E-mail: philrisser@embarqmail.com

www.emu.edu | crossroads | 13

photo by jon styer

NATE CLEMMER ’98, SHAUN HACKMAN ’99, JASON YODER ’99, MICHELLE STUTZMAN GUENGERICH ’02 // TH properties, based in Harleysville, Pa. // Specializing in housing development // thproperties.com Courtesy of Dave baker

DAVE BAKER ’82 // Vice President and General Manager, based in Sellersville, Pa. // Four Rivers Community Broadcasting Corp. (Christian music) // www.wordfm.org 14 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

EYOB DIMBERU ’98 // Co-owner with wife Sharon Campillo Dimberu ’01 // Premier Properties Group, LLC., based in Ashburn, Va. // www.ppghouse.com photo by matthew styer

DARRICK HUMMEL ’99, BARRY HUMMEL ’74, STEPHEN YODER ’74, VAUGHN TROYER ’93 // Owners and managers of Hummel Insurance Agency, Berlin, Ohio, and R.E. Miller Insurance Agency, Orville, Ohio // www.hummelgrp.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 15

photo by matthew styer

MARY PETRE WILFONG ’59 // Co-owner with husband Dharl // Martin’s Fine Furniture in Hagerstown, Md., and Ethan’s Furniture in Frederick, Md. // E-mail: gmmlw@hotmail.com 16 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by jon styer

RUEL BURKHOLDER ’79, MDiv ’84 // Pilot working from Dulles International Airport // United Airlines // www.united.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 17

photo by matthew styer

photo by jon styer

RICH SAUDER ’92 // Chief Operating Officer, based in New Holland, Pa. // HomePlace Structures (Amish-made) // www.homeplacestructures.com

ELAINE WARFEL STAUFFER ’72 // Owner and Manager // Warfels Sweet Shoppe in Dayton, Va. // Sells retail and online homemade sweets // www.warfels.biz.

18 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

ZACH DERSTINE ’01 // Vice President and Manager, based in Sellersville, Pa. // Derstine Food Distributors // Foods and food-service items, mainly wholesale; Jason Moyer ’97, food service manager // www.derstines.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 19

FRED KISARE ’86, MA of Ministry ’89 // Vice President in Columbus, Ohio, location // JPMorgan Chase Bank // www.jpmorganchase.com 20 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

photo by matthew styer

DUVAL DENLINGER ’91 // Owner and President // Heacock Lumber in Plumsteadsville, Pa. // Sawmill that produces hardwood lumber // www.heacocklumber.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 21

photo by matthew styer photo by Julie knight

[L to R, front] J. MERLE ZOOK ’87, BRUCE BUCKWALTER ’91, MARTIN IRUNGU ’07, [back] SHIRLEY TROBAUGH ’99, KARL STOLTZFUS ’72, B. B. RANKIN ’02, JOEL SHANK ’06, ANDREW POWELL ’86 // Karl Stoltzfus, Dynamic Aviation chairman; others do administrative jobs // Modify, lease and operate aircraft worldwide, with over 60 aircraft from 18 bases in 9 countries on 4 continents // www.dynamicaviation.com

ABDALLAH ABU HASHEM ’84 // Owner // Abdul Brothers Investments in Greensboro, N.C. // Multi-family and single family rental properties, plus Big City Pizza & Subs // E-mail: abdul545@aol.com 22 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

MIRIAM MUMAW ’61 // Controller // Gammon and Grange, P.C., in McLean, Va. // General practice serving local, national and international clients since 1977; national reputation in nonprofit and church law // www.gg-legal.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 23

photo by matthew styer

BILL LONGACRE ’85 // President // Perkiomen Tours, based in Pennsburg, Pa. // Bus tours, air tours and cruises // www.perkiomentours.com 24 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

RODNEY MARTIN ’94 // Vice President // Martin Stone Quarries in Bechtelsville, Pa. // Manufactures crushed stone products // www.martinstone.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 25

photo by matthew styer photo by matthew styer

LEAH MEJA SONKOI ’05, SARAH YODER ’02, CHRISSY PHILLIPS ’04 // Managers // Shenandoah Growers, Inc. // Grows, processes, packages and ships culinary herbs throughout mid-Atlantic region // www.freshherbs.com

DEVON C. ANDERS ’88 // President // InterChange Group, Inc. of Harrisonburg and Front Royal, Va. // Warehousing, logistics and land development services; 5 of 6 on management team are alumni // www.interchangeco.com 26 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer photo by matthew styer

CANDI SAUDER KING ’96 and JOHN P. SAUDER ’04 // General Manager (Candi) and Internet Sales Manager (John) // John D. Sauder (’72) Auto Company // www.johnsauderauto.com

DAVID TROYER ’87 // President, Troyer Corp. // Amish-style restaurants & gift shops in Ohio and Florida; a Ohio hotel; retirement community in Walnut Creek, Ohio // www.walnuthillsliving.com, www.troyercorp.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 27

ANDY DULA ’91 // Chief Financial Officer // EG Stoltzfus in Lancaster, Pa. // Construction and land development // www.egstoltzfus.com 28 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

photo by matthew styer

KEITH HEAVENER ’76 // Owner // Heavener Supply Co. in Souderton, Pa. // Building materials, landscaping supplies, heating and cooling services // www.heavenersupply.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 29

photo by Briana Barker

[L to R] The SOMMERS: GARY ’98, CHARLA (Steiner) ’98, SCOTT ’95, EMILY ’04, and parents VERNON and CAROL; the WITTMERS: mother RUBY, CHRISTA (Wittmer) DOMER ’01, father RICH // Amy Sommers ’01, not present // Gary is CFO; the others fill managerial or retail roles // HRM Enterprises, Inc. // Wide range of businesses in Hartville, Ohio // www.hartvillehardware.com, www.hartvilletool.com, www.hartvillemarketplace.com, www.hartvillekitchen.com, www.hartvillecollectibles.com

30 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by matthew styer

D.J. KLING ’80 // Co-owner with husband // Country Living Inn in Lancaster, Pa. // www.countrylivinginn.com

photo by matthew styer

CHAD LACHER ’97 // Partner // Lacher & Associates Insurance Agency in Souderton, Pa. // www.lacherinsurance.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 31

photo by matthew styer

RACHEL ’79 & KENNETH ’78 PELLMAN // Owners // Rachels of Greenfield (Pa.) // Quilting and punchneedle kits and supplies // www.rachelsofgreenfield.com photo by matthew styer

PHIL WENGER ’82 // Owner // Isaac’s Restaurants, headquartered in Lancaster, Pa. // Chain of 20 deli-style restaurants fanning out from Lancaster // www.isaacsdeli.com 32 | crossroads | spring 2008

photo by jon styer

RADELL SCHROCK ’01 // Grower, Director // Season’s Bounty Farm near EMU // Grows vegetables for farmers market; supplies produce under local Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program // E-mail: RadellSchrock@yahoo.com www.emu.edu | crossroads | 33

BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

To submit your information for the summer issue of Crossroads go to www.emu.edu/crossroads/update.

In addition to business listings (as below), we urge science professionals - including those in the health sciences, as well as in the physical, natural, computer and mathematical sciences - to submit their professional data via this website. Deadline: May 1, 2008. The next Crossroads will center on “alumni in science.”

AUGSBURGER, MARCIA L. ’81 Health care practice group leader; shareholder McDonough, Holland & Allen PC

Multi-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys at offices in Oakland, Sacramento and Yuba City, Calif.

www.mhalaw.com BAER, JAKE III ’81 Owner Architectural Firm

Self-employed in Alexandria, Va., specializing in highend residences and re-purposing of vintage buildings.

E-mail: jbaer3@starpower.net BARKER, SCOTT ’89 General manager Danley Sound Labs

High-end loudspeaker manufacturer in Gainesville, Ga.

www.danleysoundlabs.com BEACHY, SARAH DIENER ’02 Founder Shenandoah Valley Community School

Democratically run, learner-centered private school, founded on principles of educational freedom, student autonomy, and community decision-making.

www.svcs.us BERG, JASON ’01 Business development manager Precision Graphics

Services include illustration, composition, animation and design for the five largest educational publishers in the United States, focusing on entry-level college science textbooks. Headquartered in Champaign, Ill.

www.precisiongraphics.com BISHOP, MICHAEL ’81 AND ROBERT D. ’70 President (Michael); Secretary-Treasurer (Robert) Bishop Excavating Inc.

Excavating for electricians, plumbers, builders, soil consultants and homeowners in Doylestown, Pa., area.

BLOSSER, PHIL ’82 President; senior designer Blosser Lighting Inc.

Designs and installs lighting, electrical wiring and lighting control systems for homes, churches and businesses in the Shenandoah Valley.

www.BlosserLighting.com BOMBERGER, DONALD ’72 Project manager Jenzabar

Administrative management software and services for higher education institutions. Headquartered in Boston, Mass., with regional offices across the United States.

Dale L. Hess ’82, Michael D. Weaver ’90 and Dale Hartzler ’85 also work at Jenzabar.

www.jenzabar.net

34 | crossroads | spring 2008

BOMBERGER, JOHN ’77, MAR ’92 CEO Choice Books

Vendor of inspirational, wholesome and family-oriented reading materials operating through a network of regional distributors. Headquartered in Harrisonburg, Va. Alumni in business include: Karen Albrecht ’72, H.B. Belay ’06, Margaret Derstine ’52, David Diller ’91, James Duncan ’70 (’72 Sem), Greg Duncan ’97, David Hartzler ’61, Ryan Hess ’06, Lin Hoober ’93, Walter Hurst ’94, Conrad Martin ’80, Dale Mast ’88, Barry Maust ’92, Lisa Metzler ’90, Kevin Nofziger ’94, Glen Sell ’72 (’83 Sem), Delbert Wenger ’86, Owen Yoder ’67, plus 8 EMU-educated book reviewers.

www.choicebooks.org BOWMAN, DANIEL ’96 CPA Yancy, Miller & Bowman CPAs LLC

Specializing in retirement plans for businesses and tax returns, based in the Shenandoah Valley.

E-mail: dbowman@yancymiller.com

BRENNEMAN, STEVE ’94 AND VICTORIA ’95 CEO (Steve) and majority shareholders Terra Group

Fabricator of aluminum products for energy, transportation and recreational vehicle industries, headquartered in Nappanee, Ind. Other alumni involved in the business: Rachel ’67 and Bob Brenneman ’70, Conrad Brenneman ’94, Ryan Brenneman ’00, Tonya Ramer Bontrager ’90, Eric Hostetler ’90, Lavonn Duncan Hostetler ’90, Stephanie Miller ’04, Michelle Thomas ’02.

www.terragroup.net BRUBAKER, FRED ’66 Treasurer, head of accounting Venture Products Inc.

Manufactures the Ventrac tractor and attachments, based in Orrville, Ohio.

www.ventrac.com BYLER, JONATHAN ’76 President Cornerstone Carpenters Inc.

Light commercial and residential additions and renovations, limited electrical contracting and problem solving in Goshen, Ind.

E-mail: jsbyler@bnin.net CLAASSEN, MELVIN ’77 Chief financial officer Mennonite Mutual Aid (MMA)

MMA provides insurance and financial services, primarily serving people and groups within the Anabaptist family. Offices in 15 states.

www.mma-online.org

COLLINGWOOD, ROSS ’74 Co-owner, financial advisor Great Oak Financial Group & Advisors Inc.

Comprehensive and independent financial planning and advisory services for people living in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

www.greatoakfinancial.com DIENER, V. EUGENE ’68 President LD&B Insurance Agency Inc.

Harrisonburg, Virginia’s largest, locally owned agency, providing a full range of insurance and services to individuals and businesses. Other alumni at LD&B: V-P Jonas Borntrager ’70 (Sem ’71), Steve Brunk ’86 (MAL ’95), Jonathan Coddington ’02, J. Kelly Stauff ’97, Megan Hartman Throngard ’00.

www.ldbinsurance.com DULL, CAROLYN ’97 Chief financial officer Valley Community Services Board

Provides community-based mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse services to the citizens in Augusta and Highland counties and Staunton and Waynesboro, Va.

www.valleycsb.org ERB, CONRAD ’04 Owner, operator Conrad Erb Photography

Photography, with focus on weddings in the Philadelphia, Pa., area.

www.conraderb.com FLOOK, SAMUEL ’97 Telecommunications administrator Merck & Co. Inc.

Global research-driven pharmaceutical corporation.

www.merck.com GABRIEL, MARCILE ’88 Program manager Jackson Hewitt

Tax/franchise corporation in Sarasota, Fla.

www.jacksonhewitt.com GLUNT, MARK BLAIR ’92 Owner, manager, producer, host Silent Planet Promotions

Entertainment company working with artistic music, mostly in the rock, metal, fusion and folk genres.

www.silentplanetpromotions.com GODSHALK, E. BRENT ’79 Technology center leader in plant biology BASF Plant Science’s research dept. in N.C.

A component of BASF-The Chemical Company with 95,000 employees on 5 continents. Biotechnology research center in the Research Triangle Park.

www.corporate.basf.com/en/produkte/biotech/ plantscience

Allen Grant Stoltzfus ’65 thought learning a foreign language could be made much easier using software developed for that purpose. He partnered with brother-in-law John Fairfield ’70 to develop a prototype, with John doing the programming. Allen’s brother Eugene ‘72 joined them in January 1992 to found Fairfield Language Technologies, now known as Rosetta Stone. Seed money was provided by Allen and Eugene’s mother, Ruth Brunk Stoltzfus ’37. Sisters/attorneys Kathryn Stoltzfus Fairfield ’70 and Ruth Stoltzfus Jost ’72 later joined the company.

Another sister, Helen Stoltzfus Greenberg ‘78, worked for Rosetta Stone from July 2002 to September 2003, managing retail kiosks in California.

The company has grown from six local staffers in 1992 to about 400 employees in Harrisonburg, with another 500 working elsewhere in the

GOOD, CLINTON ’77 Architect, owner Clint Good Architects, PC

Architect, planning, environmental design, based in Lincoln, Va.

www.clintgood.com GOOD, MERLE ’69 AND PHYLLIS ’70 Publishers, writers, editors Good Books

Publishers of hundreds of books, including the bestselling “Fix-It and Forget-It” series of cookbooks, the Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding series, books on the Amish and Mennonites, and other wholesome topics. Daughter Kate Good ’99 also works in the business, based in Intercourse, Pa.

www.goodbooks.com GORING, REBECCA ’82 Owner, manager Grace Homes Dallas

Provision of good-quality, affordable rental housing in the Southwest Dallas area.

photo by jon styer

Rosetta Stone: No Longer Just Family

(L to R) Ruth, John, Eugene and Kathryn (before a portrait of Allen) United States. Allen died of a heart attack at age 59 in 2002. Ruth, John, Eugene and Kathryn (pictured above) -- along with 10 fellow investors -- sold their controlling interest in January of 2006, though they remain shareholders.

There are 22 EMU alumni working this spring at Rosetta Stone: Aaron Kishbaugh, MA ’06; Abi Gaines, MA ’05; Barry King ’92; Ben Brunk ’97; Bill Harner ’03; Ben Stutzman ’06; Bethany

GUNSALUS, D. BRENT ’75 Attorney/partner Hudson Cook, LLP

Law firm specializing in consumer financial services with offices in Calif., Conn., D.C., Md., N.Y. and Va. (Gunsalus practices in Charlottesville, Va.).

www.hudco.com HARMAN, CARL ’67 President/CEO Harman Construction Inc.

Designs and builds as a general contractor in Harrisonburg, Va. Wayne Witmer ’88 and Carl Martin ’71 are vice presidents. Mike Stoltzfus ’98 directs IT and Ryan Strite ’99 is a manager.

www.harmanconstruction.com HARSHBERGER, DANA ’93 Owner The Frame Factory & Gallery

Picture framing, ready-made frames, mirrors, original and reproduction artwork, posters. Also owner of Essential Natural Body Care, a day spa in Harrisonburg.

E-mail: rsgoring@aol.com

E-mail: dana@rica.net

GRANDSTAFF, JAMES ’83 Principal agent Grandstaff Insurance Agency

HART, DERVIN C. ’66 Owner Charvin Farm Agricultural Plastics

www.nationwide.com

www.charvinfarm.com

GROSS, JOEL L. ’76 & GROSS, KAREN ’75 Owner/CEO (Joel) & CFO (Karen) Sticky Business

HARTZLER, W. KENT ’94 President/CEO Mennonite Financial

Insurance agency: sales and service for property and casualty (auto, home, commercial, farm, etc.), life, health and annuities in Luray, Va.

Prints and installs large-format graphics on vehicles, walls and buildings in Atlanta, Ga.

www.stickybusiness.net

Markets agricultural plastic to businesses and farmers, including ag-bags, bale wrap, net wrap, poly and sisal twine, bunk covers and poly fasteners for the ag-bags.

Serves members and employees of Anabaptist-related churches throughout the United States from its headquarters in Lancaster, Pa.

www.mennonitefinancial.com

Versluis Fairfield ’01; Brian Miller ’02 (in Iowa); Craig Spaulding, MA ’05; Daniel Stutzman ’03 (in Colorado); Jessica Penner ’01; Jon Helfers ’08; Kai Orenic ’04; Kevin Burnett ’03; Mark Stevanus ’89; Mika Negatu-Hijjeh ’00; Mike Swartley ’04; Nick Ropp ’02; Lorinda “Rinn” Siegrist ‘89; Sam Saengmanivone ’03 (in California); Tiffany Horst ’07; Zach Nafziger ’01.

HEATWOLE, OWEN ’71 EHS & technical services manager QMI Inc.

Leading specialist in industrial/consumer PTFE treatments in Lakeland, Fla.

www.qminet.com HERTZLER, DONALD ’68 Sales, store manager Mole Hill Bikes Inc.

Sells new bicycles and accessories and does repairs on all makes of bicycles near Harrisonburg, Va.

www.molehillbikes.com HESS-YODER, JOHN ’74 Business owner, certified financial planner Retirement Security Inc

Financial planning and investment management in Ore.

E-mail: john@rsi-mma.com HISTAND, RONDA ’97 Co-owner, manager, purchaser Histand’s Supply LLC

Based in Pa., wholesale-only distributor of landscaping products, including hand tools, grass seed, fertilizers.

E-mail: lexusmonet@netcarrier.com HORST, KYLE B. ’02 Senior tax associate KPMG, LLP

KPMG, with over 120,000 employees in 145 countries, is a Big Four auditor. Horst works in the Harrisburg, Pa., office.

www.kpmg.com HUNSBERGER, CHARLOTTE ’91 Partner, attorney Bricker, Landis & Hunsberger, LLP

General practice law firm in Souderton, Pa.

E-mail: chunsberger@blhlawfirm.com

www.emu.edu | crossroads | 35

JONES, EUNICE HESS ’62 Seamstress Sew Magic shop

Mends overalls, shortens pants, puts in zippers and such in Provost, Alberta, Canada.

KAUFFMAN, KENT ’79 Owner, operator Western Parks Guide Service

Tour operation that caters to small group tours in the western U.S., Canada, and Alaska. Some tours elsewhere in the world. E.g., small group tour to Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Czech Rep. from Sept. 20 to 30, 2008.

www.kentkauffman.com KING, WENDEL L. ’93 Owner/operator Comprehensive Companies

Registered investment advisors that specialize in 401K management and group benefits, based in East Petersburg, Pa.

E-mail: wking@compcos.com KISAMORE, DAVID ’69 Sales manager Coldwell Banker/Funkhouser Realtors

Lists and sells homes, farms, lots, acreage, commercial property in the Shenandoah Valley.

www.cbfunkhouser.com KITE, KATHY ’00 Co-owner R & K Automotive

Auto repair in Shenandoah Valley (Elkton).

E-mail: kdovelk@aol.com

LANDIS, DARYL ’78 President Potomac Valley Builders, LLC

High-end custom residential construction; new homes and additions/renovations.

www.potomacvalleybuilders.com LANDIS, JEFFREY K. ’91 Partner/attorney Bricker, Landis & Hunsberger, LLP

General practice law firm in Souderton, Pa.

E-mail: jlandis@blhlawfirm.com

LEFFLER, MARK ’91 Chief counsel Boleman Law Firm, PC

Specializes in bankruptcy proceedings in Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va., where Leffler is based.

www.bolemanlaw.com LEHMAN, KEVIN ’88 Owner/insurance agent Kooman Agencies by Co-operators

Auto, home, life, commercial and farm insurance, plus financial investment, in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

www.cooperators.ca

LEWIS-SEIDEL, LORETTA ’94 Co-owner with husband; bookkeeper Willcox Commercial

Oldest store in Arizona, dating to 1880s, in a historicregistered adobe building. Specializes in western wear.

Clothing also available by mail order.

REINFORD, ERIC ’02 Executive, working from London, UK, managing accounts in Europe/Asia-Pacific SNL Financial

Manufactures fiberglass (tow behind) motorcycle trailers in Myerstown, Pa.

A global information and research firm focused on the banking, financial services, insurance, real estate, energy and media/communications industries.

Collects and disseminates corporate, financial, market and M&A data, plus news and documents for clients.

Travis Geiser ’04 is based in Chicago as a senior industry research analyst. Amina Auezova Shenk ’07 is an accounting analyst in Charlottesville, Va., where Enea Rrapokushi ’07 also works.

www.jdtrailers.com

www.snl.com

MARTIN, SCOTT L. ’89 Owner/president Zeiset & Martin Construction Inc.

RITTENHOUSE, JAMES ’84 Owner/CPA Detweiler, Hershey & Associates, PC

www.winegarner.net/willcox MARTIN, DENNIS ’81 Owner jdtrailers dba Kompact Kamp

Residential construction in Berks, Lancaster and Lebanon counties, Pa.

www.zeisetandmartin.com MAUST, ROBERT ’72 Owner Photo Agora

Stock photo agency, headquartered in Keezletown, Va.

Certified public accounting firm in Souderton, Pa.

www.detweilerhershey.com ROHRER-MECK, MARVIN ’80 President/partner Sonit Systems, LLC

Information systems consulting, based in Archbold, Ohio.

www.photoagora.com

www.sonit.com

MAUST, WENDELL ’68 Owner Maust Enterprises of Virginia

ROLAND, ROSALIE HESS ’70 AND BRENT ’97 Co-owner; designer/marketing director Roland Builder Inc.

Excavation for commercial sites, such as subdivisions, commercial buildings, and parking lots in the Harrisonburg, Va., area. Henry Bowser ’98, MBA ’02, is an equipment operator.

E-mail: wlmaust@verizon.net MILLER, LEON ’68 Owner/president Allegra Print & Imaging

Graphic communications: graphic design, digital & offset full color printing, mailing & fulfillment, graphics for trade shows, vehicles, banners, signs, posters in Lancaster, Pa.

www.allegrapa.com MILLER, LOWELL ’85 CPA/certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Canon Capital Management Group, LLC

CPA firm, payroll services, registered investment advisory services, computer solutions, based in Souderton, Pa.

www.canoncapital.com NEUENSCHWANDER, ART ’73 President Kidron Electric Inc.

Electrical, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), refrigeration, and plumbing contracting and service in Kidron, Ohio.

www.kidronelectric.com

OLSEN, DENNIS ’93 Owner Olsen Roofing

Designs and builds custom homes in and around Mechanicsburg, Pa.

www.rolandbuilder.com ROSENBERGER, AMY L. ’85 Partner Willig, Williams & Davidson

Specializes in representing labor unions, employee benefit funds and individual working people, with main office in Philadelphia; other offices in Haddonfield, N.J., Harrisburg, Jenkintown, and Media, Pa.

www.wwdlaw.com RUSH, AMY ’91 CPA Clark & Bradshaw, PC

General practice law firm in Harrisonburg, Va. Also v-p of Starker X, Ltd., tax-deferred exchange-qualified intermediary.

www.clark-bradshaw.com, www.starkerx.com RUTH, SIDNEY J. ’98 Certified financial planner practitioner™/ manager FIFS Capital Advisor Group

Financial planning and investment management in Franconia area of Pa.

www.fifsinc.com RUTT, RICHARD ’84 Sr. Programmer/Analyst Ten Thousand Villages

Markets fairly traded home decor and gift items made by artisans from around the world who would otherwise be unemployed or under-employed, while telling their stories. Rutt works out of Ephrata, Pa.

LEHMAN, RODNEY ’99 Manager Lehman Insurance Agency Inc.

Commercial roofing; spray foam roof systems and acrylic roofing systems for commercial buildings; based in Harrisonburg, Va.

www.olsenroofing.com

www.tenthousandvillages.com

www.lehmanins.com

RAMER, GLENNA ’77 Attorney Ramer & Hedrick, P.C.

SEITZ, BLAIR ’67 Photographer/owner Seitz Photography

Personal and business insurance, with head office in Ephrata, Pa.

Specializes in personal injury and family law litigation in Chattanooga, Tenn.

www.ramerandhedricklawfirm.com

Photo stock house, photos for coffee-table books, and online gallery based Millville, N.J. Over 60,000 photographic images in art prints, stock photography and classic posters.

www.blairseitz.com

36 | crossroads | spring 2008

SEITZ, RANDALL ’87 President and Co-Founder Blue Ridge Design Studio, PC

Architecture firm in Harrisonburg, Va.; Lois Mast Kreider ’56 also works there in accounting.

www.blueridgedesignstudio.com SHIRK, MAYNARD ’70 Owner Manor Fuels Inc.

In area of Conestoga, Pa., delivers home heating oil and diesel fuel, the “electricity” of the Amish farmer.

E-mail: mrshirk@juno.com STEFFEN, ANTHONY J. ’95 Operator Grass dairy farm

Currently in Wellsboro, Pa.; will be moving to farm in Carroll County, Ohio.

E-mail: arsteffen@juno.com STOLTZFUS, EUGENE ’72 Architect, owner Eugene Stoltzfus Architects

Architecture, urban design, furniture design in Harrisonburg, Va.

E-mail: eugenes@eugenestoltzfus.com STOLTZFUS, KARL JR. ’89 President/founder Select Aerospace Industries Inc.

One of the largest independent Beechcraft, Hawker and Raytheon parts distributors in the world, specializing in supplying quality OEM and PMA parts. Based in Weyers Cave, Va. Also president of Avotek: equipment for aviation technical training, including hands-on trainers to teach troubleshooting and manipulative skills, as well as textbooks for classroom training.

www.selectairparts.com, www.avotek.com STRUNK, WILLIAM L. ’70 Reverse mortgage consultant M&T Mortgage Corporation

Serving Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York State.

www.mtb.com STUTZMAN, MARCIA ’87 Accountant/office manager Partners Excavating Company

Offers total site preparation -- including installation of underground utilities -- and asphalt paving. Kevin Byler ’92 is equipment operator; Steve Freed ’75, MDiv ’79, is estimator; Barry Hertzler ’86 is project manager; Richard Kauffman ’70 is project manager; Eric Yoder ’00 is equipment operator.

SWARTLEY, TIMOTHY ’94 Vice president and senior trust officer Univest Corporation

Integrated financial service company, providing banking, insurance and investments. Swartley is based in Telford, Pa.

www.univestfoundation.org TRISSEL, DENNIS ’75 President Trissel Equipment Sales; also Trissel Farms Inc.

Dealer for new short line farm equipment-retail sales; farm is 150-cow dairy, Harrisonburg, Va.

E-mail: triffel@aol.com TROYER, RODNEY ’80 Founder/president Water Works Plumbing Corp.

Provides plumbing service to homes and businesses in Cape Coral area of Fla., including whole house repiping, repairing, and remodeling. Son Brad Troyer ’93 is general manager.

www.waterworksplumbingcorp.com VANBENSCHOTEN, KEITH ’88 Vice president/operations InterChange Group Inc.

Warehousing, logistics and land development services around Harrisonburg and Front Royal, Va. Other alums: Devon C. Anders ’88, president (see page 26); Kevin Longenecker ’91, controller; Jean Stickley ’02, office administrator; Chris Thompson ’91, general manager, InterChange Express.

www.interchangeco.com WAGLER, JAMES ’81 Controller Golden Windows Limited

Manufactures, sells and distributes windows and doors from base in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

www.goldenwindows.com WEAVER, DEAN ’89 President The IrriTurf Co.

Irrigation management: designs, installs, services and manages underground irrigation systems and resources for residences, commercial clients and sports fields.

www.irriturf.net WEAVER, KENNETH G. ’75 President/owner Weaver’s Floor Covering Inc.

Floor-covering sales and installation in Harrisonburg.

www.partners-excavating.com

www.flooringamerica.com/weaver

STUTZMAN, TIMOTHY ’77 Mechanical engineer/supervisor Altec Industries

WEAVER, LOIS ’70 Owner Lag’s Gifts

Manufactures, sells, services and leases equipment to 100 countries for the electric utility, telecommunications and tree care industries including aerial lifts and digger derricks. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.

www.altec.com SWARTLEY, J. DAVID ’83 Executive vice-president Moravian Manors Inc.

Continuing care retirement community and health services in Lititz, Pa.

www.moravianmanor.org

WILL, GRACE ’65 Owner/operator Haus Rustika Bed and Breakfast

Located on 20 acres in Stevensville, Mont., in the Bitterroot Valley of the western part of the state.

www.hausrustika.net WYSE, SANFORD ’72 Plant engineer Conversion Technologies International

A custom adhesive converter that specializes in coatings and laminations of adhesives for a variety of industries, based in West Unity, Ohio.

www.conversiontechnologies.com YODER, ANDREW ’00 SAP portal developer Vera Bradley Designs Inc

Creates stylish quilted cotton luggage, handbags and accessories. Yoder is based in Fort Wayne, Ind.

www.verabradley.com YODER, DUANE L. ’73 Associate S.B. Yoder & Associates

Combines lean manufacturing with Six Sigma principles and methods to assist manufacturers and service providers in reducing errors, maximizing profits and streamlining processes, especially in the aerospace and medical fields. Based in Fort Wayne, Ind.

www.sbyoder.com YODER, FAYE ’68 Owner F. G. Yoder Piano Studio

Piano lessons for students at all levels in the Harrisonburg, Va., area.

E-mail: yoderef@aol.com YODER, HOWARD ’84 Owner Yoder Farms

Grain and vegetable farming in Plain City, Ohio.

E-mail: holoyoder@juno.com YODER, LAWRENCE ’87 CPA Horizon Accountants

Tax preparation, financial statements and audits in Rockingham County and Harrisonburg, Va., area.

www.horizonaccountants.com YODER, RONALD E. ’68 President/CEO Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community

Gift shop with personal and consignment hand crafted items, specializing in American Girl doll items, retired Longaberger products and more in Manheim, Pa.

Retirement community near EMU, with numerous EMU alumni on staff, including 5 of the 9 people on the executive team: the CEO, plus Regina Schweitzer ’78, vice-president of residential living; Diane Weaver ’91, chief marketing officer; Marv Nisly ’68, vice president of design and construction; Les Helmuth ’78, executive director, VMRC Foundation. The controller/director of financial services is Mike Piper ’95

www.longaberger.com/loisweaver

www.vmrc.org

WENGER, JONATHAN ’99 CEO/partner Genesis Products Inc.

YODER, STANLEY J. ’77 Attorney Weaner, Zimmerman, Bacon, Yoder & Hubbard

Manufactures wood-related components for recreational vehicles and housing in Elkhart, Ind.

www.genesisproductsinc.com

General practice law firm in Defiance, Ohio.

www.weanerlawoffice.com

www.emu.edu | crossroads | 37

photo by matthew styer

Son and father, Peter Kraybill ’97 (J.D., Penn State) and J. Elvin Kraybill ’70 (J.D., Georgetown) not only share a common history at EMU, they practice law together in Gibbel, Kraybill & Hess of Lancaster, Pa. (www.gkh.com).

Entrusting Their Children

About a third of EMU’s students are “legacies,” a remarkable statistic

A

t EMU this spring, 280 undergraduates out of an enrollment of about 900 are “legacy” students. This means at least 31% of our students come from families where at least one parent is an alumnus of EMU. “This is a highly unusual percentage of legacy students,” says George Dehne, president of GDA Integrated Services, a South Carolina firm that has done market research for more than 300 educational institutions across the nation.

“The greatest symbol of confidence in a college is the willingness of its alumni to entrust their children to it,” he adds.

38 | crossroads | spring 2008

Such “entrusting” is understandable if the college is Ivy League or otherwise considered prestigious, such as those in the top ranks of the Princeton Review. In such cases, the children of alumni are able to “play the legacy card” to gain an advantage in a highly competitive admission process.

“At U.Va., the legacy preference is seen as one way to encourage alumni to keep on making the donations that help keep tuition down,” reported the Associated Press in March, 2003.

Former senator John Edwards has objected to U.Va. and other colleges that permit applicants’ family status to give them

an edge in the admission process.

“Today, sons and daughters of alumni make up more than 10 percent of students at Harvard, Yale and Princeton. They are 23 percent of the student population at Notre Dame. At the University of Virginia, 11 percent of this year’s freshmen class were children of alumni.” (This is from the 2003 AP article mentioned above and posted on www.cnn.com/2003/education.)

Let us be clear. None of this applies to EMU’s legacies. Our admissions department gives no preference to children of alumni.

Actually, most legacies arrive with great grades and strong test scores.

photo by matthew styer

Instead large numbers of alumni – more than 1,000 in the last decade – appear to be encouraging their children to attend EMU because, quite simply, they love the college and what it stands for.

David Troyer, a 1987 EMU graduate living in Walnut Creek, Ohio, says: “When you experience something that truly moves you and you are certain it has changed your life for the better, you naturally want your children to have the same opportunity.”

(David is pictured on page 27).

Not Just a Number David’s son, senior Derrick Troyer, affirms, “My parents were a big influence.

They really pushed me to go to a Mennonite school, just because of their prior experiences at EMU. They were always talking about how you make lifelong friends at EMU. You can have one-on-one relationships with teachers. You are not just a number.”

Derrick told his parents he would try it out – “I thought it would be possible for me to transfer to another school” – but he not Samfee Doe and Richard Bikko, both class of 2011, are children only stayed, he was joined by his younger of graduates of EMU’s MA in conflict tranformation. brother Nick after his second year here.

Derrick and Nick come from a family that operates successful businesses in Ohio cultures and dealings, and elect to also atgrandparents, but with cousins, aunts and and Florida, including restaurants, a hotel tend EMU to develop leadership skills with uncles. Says Nick: “My dad had Ron Stoltzand retirement community. Troyer’s wife, similar core values. Consciously or unconfus [a business professor], and so have I.” Anna, graduated from EMU’s nursing prosciously, many are preparing themselves to Derrick adds: “Jay Landis [recently gram in 1999 as an adult student. someday lead their family businesses.” retired English professor] taught my great“Anna and I wanted a college experience This is true of Derrick Troyer, who works aunt Mary. He remembered and talked to for our sons that was Christ-centered in an part-time as a desk clerk at a hotel in Harme about her!” atmosphere that encourages the exploration risonburg, Va., partly to help earn his way Six Families, Same Story and deepening of their faith,” David said. through college and partly to familiarize “We also wanted them to have the opporhimself more with hotels. He is majoring in Candi Sauder King ’96 and John P. Sautunity to make life-time friends and form business. der ’04 (pictured on page 27) are the fourth connections to the broader world through The words “life-long” or “life-time friends” generation in their family linked to EMU, the global village requirements.” acquired at EMU were volunteered by beginning with their great-grandfather, David himself is the son of an EMU members of three generations of Troyers, Abram G. Heishman, one of five men who alumnus. His father and partner in the interviewed separately in three locations – taught the first 40 students in a “special family businesses, Levi, earned a two-year Ohio, Virginia and Florida.

Bible term” at Eastern Mennonite in 1916. associate degree in 1967. “It’s a wonderful Derrick said he became especially close He became assistant principal under J.B. location and a wonderful place to study,” to the 20 or so students with whom he Smith in 1917. Next came their grandmothLevi said in a phone interview from his traveled to Guatemala in the spring of 2006. er, Theda Shetter Heishman ’39, then their Florida home. “I made friends for a lifetime At one point they lived with rural host father John D. and mother Bonita Heishthere.” families who had no electricity or plumbing. man Sauder, both class of 1972. The family Allon Lefever, director of EMU’s MBA “Chickens slept in the room with me and we is rooted in Lancaster, Pa. program from 2003 to 2008 (still teaching cooked on an open fire inside the house. It Elsewhere in this magazine, you’ll here), notes that “members of the founding was the most hard-core cross-cultural that I read that Phil Wenger ’82, also living in generation of EMU-linked businesses have could have gone on.”

Lancaster, is the grandson of the second done a remarkable job of passing responsiThe Troyer boys have decided they like president of EMU, son of two alumni, and bilities to the next generation. carrying on the family tradition of coming one of seven siblings who came to school “Many of their children see the values to EMU and having common experiences here (page 3). And that Grace Witmer Styer which their parents bring to their business to share, not only with their parents and ’79 of Columbiana, Ohio, is one of seven www.emu.edu | crossroads | 39

photo by matthew styer

Undergrads Derrick and Nick Troyer are the sons and grandsons of alumni. sisters and two brothers who were educated at Eastern Mennonite (page 7), several of whom have sent their children here. The bulk of this third generation of Witmers are pre-college age, so many more likely will come.

Yet these cases are not rare. The summer ’07 issue of Crossroads featured relatives and descendants of Barbara Risser, who came to Eastern Mennonite in 1949. She must have enjoyed her experience and passed the word, because 21 members of the Risser clan have since attended EMU, including son Phil Risser ’80 pictured on page 13.

Barbara and her husband Ben re-located not long ago from Pennsylvania to a house near EMU to keep in closer touch with the comings and goings of the second and third generation of Rissers at EMU. “Graduations, concerts, theater performances – we’re eating it up because it won’t last long.” Barbara told a local news reporter.

Well, that is, until the fourth generation of Rissers starts flooding in.

As EMU becomes more diverse, foreign nationals who have graduated from here are beginning to send their children back to their alma mater. Freshman Samfee Doe is the daughter of Sam Gbaydee Doe, MA ’98, a Liberian graduate from EMU’s masters 40 | crossroads | spring 2008

program in conflict transformation. He is now working for the U.N. in Sri Lanka.

Richard Bikko, class of 2011, is the son of Doreen Ruto, a 2006 alumna of EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. Richard attended Harrisonburg High School while Doreen was pursuing her masters degree. When she returned to their home in Kenya, she encouraged him to enroll in EMU. “She said it was close to my faith – a good community for me to live in – and it had a good track program,” says Richard.

(Samfee Doe and Richard Bikko are pictured on page 39).

EMU at Head of Pack Two years ago, the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) surveyed 270,000 freshmen at 393 colleges.

EMU was in a class by itself in terms of legacy students: CIRP found that 33% of EMU’s incoming first-year students in 2006 were from families where at least one parent attended EMU. By comparison, 8.8% of freshmen at fouryear colleges nationwide were attending the alma mater of a parent, according to CIRP. At four-year religious colleges, the percentage of children-of-alumni was slightly higher, 9.1%.

CIRP assured each participating institution of the confidentiality of the information provided in the survey. As a result, CIRP only issued composite statistics, such as the percentages given above for all fouryear colleges.

So Crossroads asked some comparable colleges about their legacy rates.

The Mennonite colleges seem to enjoy a high rate of alumni loyalty. Over the last three years, Goshen has averaged 36% alumni children in its first-year classes, with Hesston averaging 25% in the last two years.

By comparison, the three Baptist (or historically Baptist) colleges that replied to the Crossroads query – Wingate College and Wake Forest University in North Carolina and Linfield College in Oregon – averaged 9% alumni children in their freshmen classes. Of these, Linfield College – which was specifically queried because it resembles EMU with its long history, small size and faith-based ethos, has the highest rate of alumni loyalty – an average of 15% of the incoming class over the last six years has been children of Linfield alumni.

Among the Catholic colleges, Crossroads expected to find a high rate of alumni loyalty. Yet of the three Catholic institutions that replied – Notre Dame in Indiana, Duquesne in Pennsylvania, and Aquinas in Michigan – only Notre Dame had a legacy rate comparable to the Mennonite colleges.

Today and historically, 20 to 25% of Notre Dame’s freshman class is legacy, according to Notre Dame’s associate dean of admissions, Kevin Rooney. For Duquesne and Aquinas, the figure is below 15%.

Among the Quaker colleges, over the last two years Earlham College in Indiana reported an average of 15% legacy students and George Fox University, a fast-growing evangelical Quaker college in Oregon, reported 10% legacy students.

Why would EMU’s alumni be sending their children to their alma mater in much higher-than-average numbers, rivaling or bettering the loyalty of Notre Dame’s alumni?

If you remain unsure, try reading the page 48 article by Sarah Moffett ’02, who is not a legacy student herself. Or try asking an EMU alumnus about “The EMU Difference.” Better yet, come visit, talk to people on campus, and see for yourself.

photo by matthew styer

mileposts

Forty children of alumni gather after our Jan. 9, 2008 convocation: (alphabetically) Ellie Barnhart, Mikaela Bender, Jenny Blosser, Laura Bomberger, Chris Burkholder, Michael Charles, Rachael Clemmer, Andrew Derstine, Anna Engle, Peyton Erb, Briana Eshleman, Tamara Gill, Allison Glick, Amanda Gross, Jenny Hochstetler, Jonathan Keener, Lisa King, Stephen Kniss, Dan Landes, Kristina Landis, Katie Lehman, Darrel Miller, Rachel A. Miller, Kate Nussbaum, Theresa Peachey, Lindsey Reinford, Steven Rittenhouse, Lindsey Roeschley, Wilson Roth, Jodi Schiedel, Ben Shank, Anny Smucker, Kelly Smucker, Rebecca Souder, Emma Stahl-Wert, Julie Stauffer, Steven Stauffer, Matthew Tieszen, Elisa Troyer, and Charlotte Wenger.

Faculty and Staff

Brian Martin Burkholder, pastor and director of campus ministries, led a three-week Sunday school series with high school youth at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church on “Sharing your Faith without Cramming it Down their Throats.”

Jane Docherty, associate professor, CJP, attended the Oct. 24-27 annual conference of the Association for Conflict Resolution. As chair of the Research Section, she organized a series of workshops examining the implications of new research in the neurosciences for the practice of conflict resolution.

Peter Dula ’92, assistant professor, Bible & Religion department, taught a one-week intensive course on the Biblical Theology of Peace and Justice in Burundi, Africa, Oct. 22-26.

Chris Gingrich, professor of economics, presented “Economic Forecast and Commentary” at the annual Mennonite Economic Development Associates convention, Toronto, Canada.

Nancy Heisey MDiv ’94, associate professor and chair, Bible & Religion department, and president of Mennonite World Conference (MWC), led a MWC delegation to Vatican City, Rome, Oct.

18-25. The delegation was composed of members from 10 countries. The meeting was hosted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Nancy characterized the interaction as, “We learned much about how the Roman Catholic Church carries out its mission, and we were able in many of our encounters to share our own understandings, to describe our ministries and raise our questions.” On Oct. 19, Nancy was granted the privilege of meeting briefly with Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope remarked that since Christ calls us to seek Christian unity, it is only fitting that Catholics and Mennonites have entered into dialogue in an effort to understand the 16th century conflict between the two groups and move to healing.

Ann Graber ’76 Hershberger, professor of nursing, gave a presentation on Cultural Competence to the staff of the Lord Fairfax Health District at Shenandoah University, Oct. 23, and to the Central Shenandoah Health District at James Madison University (JMU), Harrisonburg, Va., Oct. 30.

David A. Hooker, associate professor, CJP, assisted by CJP grads, Babu Ayindo and Cosmas Lam, and current CJP student Robert Roche, facilitated a workshop on restorative justice in Ikotos, South Sudan, Nov. 12-16. This constitutes part of CJP’s “Leaders in

Peacebuilding” program with Catholic Relief Services. Following the workshop, David attended a meeting of key community and political leaders in Abyei, South Sudan, to promote and facilitate establishing similar training series.

James O. Lehman ’59, librarian emeritus, is the co-author, with Steven M. Nolt, Goshen, Ind., of Mennonites, Amish and the American Civil War. The book describes the various strategies used by the religious groups in responding to the North-South conflict and the effects of the war on these communities.

Lori Leaman, assistant professor of education, and Katrina Maynard, associate professor of education, received a $3,500 grant from the Fund for Peoplehood Education Reference Committee for their “Exploring the Calling to Teach Weekend Seminar.”

including people from other denominations and colleges, who met with Iranian President Ahmadinejad in NYC in September.

Katrina Maynard, associate professor, education, presented a paper, “Teaching vocabulary to first grade students at risk of reading difficulties through repeated shared storybook reading: A comparison of rich instruction, basic instruction, and incidental exposure” at the Teacher Education Division of Council for Exceptional Children, Nov. 9, in Milwaukee, Wis.

Allon Lefever, associate professor of business, was elected vice-chair of MEDA board of directors, Nov. 2. He presented a seminar on “Leading from Within” at the annual MEDA convention in Toronto, Canada.

Douglas (Doug) Neufeld, associate professor of biology, and his wife, Cristina, were featured in the Oct. 12 issue of Daily News Record for their ministry in Cambodia. Doug and Cristina, with there two sons, Alex, 5, and Evan, 3, spent the past two years in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. Working under MCC, the Neufelds sought to bring comfort and hope to a nation nursing old wounds from warfare, to offer assistance and address environmental issues to improve the economy.

Patricia (Pat) Hostetter ’64 Martin, director of the Summer Peacebuilding Institute, was one of 120 persons from religious groups and institutions organized by relief and service agencies of the Mennonites and Quakers, but

Gloria Rhodes ’88, chair, justice, peace, & conflict studies, presented her dissertation research, “What Practitioners Are Saying,” at the Oct. 24-27 annual conference of the Association for Conflict Resolution.

www.emu.edu | crossroads | 41

N. Gerald Shenk ’75, professor of church and society in the seminary, will taught the course, “Christian Encounter with the Religious Other,” Jan. 8-April 24. Gerald is among a group of EMU professors who desire to start a center for Abrahamic studies that will bring Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scholars together.

Don Steiner, education department chair, served as moderator for a professional presentation at the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education in New Orleans, Feb. 7-10.

The presentation, “Private Colleges Take on NCATE Standards: Creating a Culture of Evidence” will feature Whitworth College, Albertson College, University of Indianapolis, Hamline University, and Berry College.

Provost Beryl Brubaker ’64 with V-P/dean Marie Morris ’84

Provost Invites Feedback On Direction and Mission To be an institution that stands out from the competition and thrives for its next 90 years, EMU must assess every five years or so its current strengths and weaknesses. It must then chart a plan to become better and stronger. EMU is undergoing this “strategic planning” process now.

The current cycle of strategic planning dovetails with the once-perdecade need to demonstrate compliance with reaccreditation standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

As part of this 10-year cycle, SACS requires EMU to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) to improve student learning.

Three possible QEPs are under consideration: (1) environmental sustainability, (2) teaching and learning center, and (3) residential learning communities.

Dr. Beryl Brubaker, the provost and leader of the planning process, would like to receive feedback from the greater EMU community on which QEP would be best for EMU to focus upon. Additional information about each of the three proposed QEPs can be found at www. emu.edu/blog/accreditation, where comments may be posted. “Please give us your feedback,” urges Brubaker.

“Our proposed QEP will be presented to SACS in the spring of 2010,” says Brubaker. “Once we receive approval from SACS, we will begin to implement the plan. We need to choose a QEP topic that will energize us and that we can work on enthusiastically, because it will definitely have an impact on EMU’s future direction.”

In addition to deciding upon a QEP, faculty, staff, students and alumni are reviewing the EMU vision, mission and values statement.

Proposed changes – most of them minor – have been posted at the web address above. Again, the provost invites feedback before revisions in the vision, mission and values statement are submitted to the faculty/staff conference on May 1 for a vote of approval. If approved, the revised statement will be submitted to the board of trustees. The board will consider both the statement and the proposed QEP at their June 2008 meeting.

In the spring of 2010, the SACS team will visit to check EMU’s work, especially to assess our capacity to fulfill our QEP.

42 42 || crossr crossroads oads || spring spring 2008 2008

Ervin Stutzman, MAR ’99, vice president and seminary dean, is the author of a new book Emma: A Widow Among the Amish. While it is the story of a son’s love for his mother, it also depicts Amish folkways and the domestic ordering of life in the Amish community. This is a companion to Ervin’s earlier, Tobias of the Amish, about his father.

Lonnie D. Yoder, professor of pastoral care and counseling at EMS, and his wife, Teresa Boshart Yoder, were resource persons at the annual Mennonite Medical Association and Mennonite Nurses Association convention at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, Mt Pleasant, Pa., in June. They presented “The Cobbler’s Shoes: Care for the Caregiver” in one session and preached the Sunday morning message.

1920-49

Mahlon Horst ’46, Harrisonburg, Va., and his wife, Leah (Shenk), were recently recognized at a Kentucky Celebration hosted by Virginia Mennonite Missions at Lindale Mennonite Church for their pioneer church planting ministry in the hills of Kentucky, beginning in 1946.

The story of their work, in cooperation with local persons such as Direl Fyffe, is told by Mahlon in a recently published book, We Kept the Angels Busy.

W. Neil Turner GT ’48, Harrisonburg, Va., translated the business and administrative skills he received at EMU into a successful life-time career as a developer and owner of apartment complexes.

He and his wife, Margaret (Yoder), are stalwart supporters of EMU/S.

1950-59

Laura Weaver ’55, Evansville, Ind., regretfully missed the 90th EMU Anniversary Homecoming to attend, by invitation of the Belleville Mennonite School class of 1957, the 50th reunion of the class.

Laura taught at BMS 1955-57.

J. Lorne Peachey ’61, a member of the BMS class of ’57, gave the main speech at the BMS alumni dinner and paid tribute to Laura in his presentation.

Hope Kauffman ’57 Lind, Harrisonburg, Va., author of Apart and Together: Mennonites in Oregon and Neighboring States, was the featured speaker at the 50th anniversary celebration, Sept. 15-16, of Warden Mennonite Church, Warden, Wash.

Martin L. Bender ’57, Bronx, N.Y., was instrumental in planting the Joy Fellowship, a non-denominational congregation where he served as pastor for 25 years. He is now semi-retired but remains active in the congregation, preaching monthly.

1960-69

Richard Keeler ’60 addressed members of Mennonite Medical Association and Mennonite Nurses Association at their annual convention at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in June. In his message entitled “A Servant of Christ in Multiple Roles,” Richard recounted the privileges of living and serving in cross-cultural contexts. He served as a physician, bishop and pastor for 24 years in Trinidad and Tobago under Virginia Mennonite Missions. His time in Trinidad was interrupted by some years of stateside medical practice.

Carroll ’62 and Nancy Myers ’66 Yoder, Harrisonburg, Va., were on a 2 1/2 month special assignment as temporary hosts, replacing the long-term hosts, at the Paris Mennonite Center, France.

Samuel (Sam) Showalter ’65, Harrisonburg, Va., serves as executive secretary of Mennonite Medical Association, assisted by his spouse, Janice Suter Showalter, administrative assistant. Sam is also active in health-related issues, including health insurance, at the Mennonite denominational level.

Shirley Yoder ’66 Brubaker, Harrisonburg, Va., recently began a term as interim pastor at Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg.

Ron Guengerich ’67 began a term as the pastoral team leader at Sherwood Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind., Dec. 1.

Thomas ’69 and Nancy Headings ’69 Horst, Maugansville, Md., recently served for one week in Harrisonburg as volunteers under Service Opportunities for Older Persons.

1970-79

Galen Groff ’71 and his wife, Phyllis, missionaries in Guatemala under Eastern Mennonite Missions, recount their exciting and rewarding journey to visit a church planted a year ago in Sacrabinha, Guatemala, in the October 2007 issue of Missionary Messenger, published by EMM under the title “Walking and Listening.” They rejoiced and celebrated with church planter and pastor, Sebastian, and the congregation, in a weekend which included the wedding of five couples and baptism of six new members.

Wayne D. Lawton ’71, Elizabethtown, Pa., pastor of Cedar Hill Community Church, was a delegate to the International Team Conference of the East Africa Revival Fellowships, held in Oswestry, England, Sept.10-14. The theme of the conference was “Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, forever.” Wayne’s wife, Mary Lou, worked in the EMU business office 1970-72.

W. Ronald Sauder ’74, Atlanta, Ga., is vice-president for communications at Emory University, serving as the media spokesperson.

David E. Bucher ’74, Fairfax, Va., was appointed to Trademark Trial Appeal Board in 1998. David has had previous professional experience as trademark examining attorney; senior examining attorney; legislative assistant in the office of U.S. Sen. Paul Simon; director, Trademark Examining Organization; and deputy assistant commissioner of trademarks.

Melinda (Mindy) Zook-Weaver ’74, Poland, Ohio, retired in May from Mon General Hospital, Morgantown, W.Va. Mindy served as clinical nutrition manager for 22 years and remains active in the American Dietetic Association. Mindy and her husband, Charlie, have relocated to Poland, Ohio, to be closer to family.

John ’78 BD ’83 and Marilyn Handrich ’77 MAL ’00 Bender, Pittsburgh, Pa., were resource persons at a “Sex and Spirituality” workshop at Kauffman Mennonite Church, Davidsville, Pa., Oct. 27. The workshop was sponsored by the Johnstown District Ministerium.

John serves as pastor of Pittsburgh Mennonite Church. Marilyn is Education Commission chair of Allegheny Mennonite Conference.

Daniel Grimes ’78, Goshen, Ind., has recently been named director of group health sales by Mennonite Mutual Aid. He serves businesses and institutions throughout the country with employee health plan administration. His specialty is working with employers who fund their own insurance plans.

Ronald Lyndaker ’78, Strasbourg/Nancy, France, is coordinator for language studies and professor of American Civilization at the Paris Institute of Political Science’s French-German Campus in Nancy.

Don R. Martin ’79 was employed in October as a rheumatologist by Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, Va. After graduating from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond in 1983, Don completed a medical internship and residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System in Baltimore, Md. From 1986 to 88, he served as a staff physician at Shirati Hospital, a mission hospital in Tanzania. He returned to Johns Hopkins in 1988 and, upon completing rheumatology training in 1992, joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins as a clinician-educator.

1980-89

Rachel Wenger ’80 Kreamer, Stevens, Pa., an employee of Lancaster Laboratories, has been transferred to the Richmond, Va., office of the company to serve as a director.

Joanne Brenneman ’81 Speigle, Telford, Pa., was elected for a two-year term as president-elect of Mennonite Medical Association at the June annual convention at Laruelville Mennonite Church Center, Mt. Pleasant, Pa. Luke Schrock-Hurst ’82, Harrisonburg, Va., began his role in November as MCC’s representative to EMU, EMU’s affiliates, and other MCC constituents in the Harrisonburg area. This represents a collaborate enterprise of EMU and MCC. Mike Miller ’82, Burkittsville, Md., began graduate school studies, preparing for a master’s degree in educational leadership, at Hood College, Frederick.

Md., in January 2008. Currently, he teaches music for Frederick County Public Schools.

James (Jim) Spicher ’82, Mountville, Pa., began a second two-year term as treasurer of Mennonite Medical Association in June.

Juan Vega ’83, Goshen, Ind., was installed as pastor of Iglesia Menonita del Buen Pastor, Goshen, Ind., Sept. 16.

Dale Ressler ’84, Lancaster, Pa., is the chairperson of Friends of Shirati, a non-profit organization providing medical, educational and developmental assistance to East Africa with a special interest in remodeling Shirati Hospital and Nursing School, Shirati, Tanzania.

Dale and his wife, Dorca, are currently members of EMU’s parent council.

Julie Wiebe ’84, Glendale, Ariz., has been promoted to senior account executive, the first for her division. Her territory is New Mexico, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nev. Julie has been a top performer in sales for Bard Medical-StatLock Division for the past nine years. She was placed in the President’s Club and she and her husband, Lynn, enjoyed a President’s Club trip to Anguilla, West Indies.

Kevin ’84 and Sharon Witmer ’85 Yoder have returned to Elkhart, Ind., after six years of an assignment with Mennonite Mission Network in Kenya.

They are co-pastors of Olive Mennonite Church.

Pearl Hoover ’85 moved to Harrisonburg after five years in pastoral ministry at Northern Virginia Mennonite Church.

She now works as a residence manager at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, simultaneously pursuing certification at EMS as a clinical pastoral education (CPE) supervisor with the goal of engaging in ministry as a pastor or chaplain.

Spencer Cowles Spencer Cowles teaching undergraduates

Prof Sees Microfinance Efforts Working

Spencer L. Cowles, business and economics chair, feels like he had the best of all possible worlds during his 2007 sabbatical.

Prior to teaching at EMU, Cowles worked in commercial banking at a major New England bank, where he developed skills in financial analysis, credit and business development. This involvement, combined with his broad range of international experiences since coming to EMU, prepared him well for his sabbatical work in microfinance at MicroVest Capital Management in Bethesda, Md. Microfinance is an approach to economic development that involves making loans to small “micro” entrepreneurs in developing countries. Loans average around $300. Traditionally, the funds to make these loans have come from donations and government grants, which are not always sustainable sources of funding.

Cowles describes MicroVest as “a world leader in raising funds from private and institutional investors who are expecting a commercial rate of return.” These funds are then invested in microfinance institutions as either debt or equity. In turn, microfinance institutions lend these funds to micro entrepreneurs.

Cowles spent January through August of 2007 working as an investment officer in the firm’s investment group and then serving as the interim director of investment. His responsibilities included identification of new clients, analysis of the financial stability of microfinance institutions, and assessment of country risk.

“A $300 loan doesn’t sound like very much,” Cowles noted, “but to a small business owner such as a tailor, furniture-maker or shopkeeper just a small amount of capital can enable them to expand their businesses so that they can provide for their families.” He added that microfinance is “a real grassroots approach to helping persons achieve economic independence and dignity.”

MicroVest company is owned primarily by CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere), a private international relief and development organization, and by MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates), an organization of business people who integrate their life values with business in practical ways to help individuals and families living in poverty around the world.

— Jim Bishop ’67 www.emu.edu | crossroads | 43

Mary E. (Mary Beth) Linde ’85, Perkasie, Pa., was recently named administrator of the 500-bed Paul’s Run Retirement Community in Northeast Philadelphia.

Carl Stauffer ’85 MAC ’02 is director of peacebuilding practice for MCC in southern Africa. From his base in South Africa, he focuses on trauma healing, nonviolent action, restorative justice and reconciliation, working with 12 African associates. They do peace education, training, intervention, consultation and networking. Carl also works with the African Peacebuilding Institute in Zambia and is pursuing doctoral studies.

John Beiler ’87

Credit Union CEO Marks 10th Year When John Beiler ‘87 began working in 1988 at the credit union that became Park View Federal Credit Union, it had only three employees and assets of $3.5 million. Today it has grown to over 40 employees - half being EMU alumni - with more than $80 million in assets. From its launch in 1969 on the Eastern Mennonite campus by a handful of faculty members, Park View has grown to become a full-service financial institution, offering mortgages, home equity and consumer loans, electronic banking services, and securities.

Fresh Approach in New Management Book Bruno Dyck ’82, professor of business administration at the University of Manitoba since 1990, has just finished co-authoring Management: Current Practices, New Directions, a management textbook “inspired,” he says, “at least in part, by wanting this kind of book when I attended EMU as a business student.”

The textbook presents two approaches to management: (1) how managers can maximize productivity, profitability and competitiveness and (2) how managers Bruno Dyck ’82 can balance multiple forms of well-being (e.g., financial, social, ecological, spiritual) for multiple stakeholders (e.g., owners, employees, suppliers, competitors, future generations).

“My next major research project is to interpret the Gospel of Luke from a non-materialist, non-individualist moral-point-of-view and draw out implications for management theory and practice,” he says.

44 44 || crossr crossroads oads || spring spring 2008 2008

John D. Wenger ’85, Bellefontaine, Ohio, noted with appreciation the developing tradition of family involvement at the 2007 annual convention for Mennonite doctors and nurses. It offers the opportunity for caregivers to discuss issues of concern and to be inspired and challenged in worship and to reflect.

It is an opportunity to nurture their children as they interact in that “backyard mission” context.

Douglas (Doug) Geib ’87, Harrisonburg, Va., has been appointed voter registrar by Rockingham County Electoral Board, starting, Mar. 1, after a six-week training period with the previous registrar.

Curtis Weaver ’87 and his wife, Karin, are the leaders of the community-based Service Adventure program in Albany, Ore. R. Todd Weaver ’87, Brownstown, Pa., began a two-year term as president of Mennonite Medical Association in June.

Melody Good ’89 Clymer, Meridian, Miss., is teaching arts and academics in the enrichment program at West Hills Elementary School.

Paul Kropf ’88 and his wife, June, continue the work as church planters and mission directors in Albania under Eastern Mennonite Missions.

Phil ’89 and Beth Naugle ’93 Lehman live in Blacksburg, Va., where Beth is a reading specialist at Falling Branch Elementary School. Phil is completing his clinical psychology Ph.D. from Virginia Tech with a pre-doctoral internship year at the Salem Medical Center. Last spring he received the Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award, which is given annually to one graduate student.

1990-99

Kenneth R. Burkholder ’91 MDiv ’05 was ordained Sept.16 to serve as pastor of Deep Run East Mennonite Church, Perkasie, Pa. Mark B. Glunt ’92 and his wife, Donna Metzler ’91 Glunt, moved with their five children from eastern Pennsylvania to West Liberty, Ohio, to enable Mark to work as an associate pastor at Oak Grove Mennonite Church. Mark was li-

censed to ministry, Aug. 19, with primary responsibility for coordinating the youth program and giving leadership to the contemporary worship service.

David L. Harnish ’92 was licensed as associate pastor of administration at Marietta Community Chapel, Marietta, Pa., and as mission intern director at Eastern Mennonite Missions on Sept.

23.

Cynthia Clymer ’94, Meridian, Miss., teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) in the Lauderdale County School System.

Susan Nisly ’94, director of Service Adventure for Mennonite Mission Network, works out of the Newton, Kan., office of MMN. Service Adventure invites young adults, ages 17-20, to live in a household with 4 to 6 other youth and to serve for 10 months in communities across the United States.

Eric ’94 and Jen Kooker ’96 Peifer, Myersville, Md., are busy parent/professionals with three young children. Jen works part-time at Brookland Mental Health Hospital and Eric manages his family’s flooring business.

Tanya Rivera-Wenger ’94 Tyler, Nashville, Tenn., is completing her final year of residency in emergency medicine at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Her husband, Michael ’04, has recently been made vice president of technical services at Everest LLC, an IT recruiting firm, Nashville, Tenn.

Angela Wenger ’94 MAL ’06 Yamanaka, Hokkaido, Japan, after serving several terms in Japan under Mennonite Mission Network, is a co-pastor with her husband, Tomoki. Tomoki has begun a three-year term as a mission network associate.

Jairemy (Jair) ’97 and Pamela (Pam) Hostetler ’97 Drooger are leaders of the Service Adventure program at Philippi, W.Va. They moved from traditional careers to focus on their relational skills.

Thomas (Tom) ’99 and Candice Rhodes ’00 Mast, formerly of Milford, Del., provide a glimpse into the first year of their work in Thailand under Rosedale Mennonite Missions in an article entitled, “What Thailand is Teaching Us,” in the November 2007 issue of Brotherhood Beacon.

Karla J. Stoltzfus ’99, Iowa City, Iowa, has joined the pastoral team as minister of church community life at First Mennonite Church, Iowa City. This is a half-time assignment which Karla plans to combine with market gardening in her community.

2000-07

Christine Lehman ’00 MAL ’06 Nafziger, Millersburg, Ohio, has recently released a compact disc of piano music and a prayer booklet entitled Music as Prayer: Gateway to the Soul.

Growing from a project while she was a student at EMS, it is a booklet and CD with 12 songs and lessons on prayer.

Christine is co-pastor, serving with her husband, Patrick Nafziger ’00 MDiv ’06, at Millersburg Mennonite Church.

Laura Polk ’00 previously worked as a young adult intern at the Presbyterian Church (USA) National Office in Louisville, Ky. She is in her second year studying for a Masters in Applied Anthropology at the University of Maryland, College Park, Md. Mark ’00 and Sarah Hawkins ’02 Schoenhals, Harrisonburg, Va., were wilderness trip leaders for Beaver Camp, Lowville, N.Y., last summer. They were two of six current EMS students involved in camp ministry.

C. Thomas Dillon ADCP ’01 is employed at Fishburne Military School as an assistant commandant and training and counseling officer with the rank of captain since the spring of 2007.

Luke Roth Mullet ’01 has moved to Kansas to take the position of human resource director in the family business.

Ry Wilson ’01, MA ’07, Harrisonburg, Va., is the school counselor at A.R. Ware Elementary School, Staunton, Va. His wife, Jeanine Herbison ’02 Wilson, received a master’s degree in physician assistant studies at James Madison University. She is a physician assistant at Harrisonburg Dermatology.

Jennifer (Jen) Zook ’01 Rice, Perkasie, Pa., enjoys her work in the emergency department of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. Department personnel care for many injured people, especially those with gun shot wounds.

Jason Rissler ’01, Harrisburg, Pa., in cooperation with other young leaders of Eastern Mennonite Missions’ Harrisburg Discipleship Center, began Bible studies eight years ago in the South Allison Hill neighborhood. This resulted in establishing New Hope Community Church.

Initially, the leaders spent many hours planning worship services. Jason says, “It finally dawned on us that all the time we spent on Sunday mornings could be better spent on relationships,” including a Sunday supper of “soul food.” After consultation with leaders of Lancaster Mennonite Conference, Jason is now engaged in a community program called Weed and Seed.

Gerald (Jerry) Horst ’02, Orrville, Ohio, is employed at P Graham Dunn, a local company which creates inspirational home décor and giftware.

Kevin James Zook ’02, Richmond, Va., is attending Medical College of Virginia’s School of Pharmacy as a PharmD candidate.

Ross Kauffman ’03, Columbus, Ohio, received The Ohio State University Board of Trustees’ Student Recognition Award on Sept. 21. Ross was nominated

for the award by the College of Public Health’s dean, Stan Lemeshow. Ross is pursuing a Ph.D. in epidemiology with a minor in criminology.

Justin ’04 and Kristin Mishler ’05 Boer live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where Justin is attending medical school and Kristin is a teaching assistant at the International School.

Rodney Brenneman ’04, Elizabethtown, Pa., is in this third year of medical school at Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa., rotating through the various departments.

Laura Helmuth ’04, Harrisonburg, Va., went to Baltimore, Md., with Mennonite Voluntary Service to work at Asylum Seekers Housing Network and to serve as a youth minister at North Baltimore Mennonite Church. She is taking seminary courses in preparation to enter Christian ministry, a calling she has nurtured for several years.

Jessica Walter ’04, Spring City, Pa., editor of Franconia Mennonite Conference Intersections, provides thought-provoking responses of several persons in a “Radical availability to the call of God,” in the October 2007 issue of the periodical.

Benjamin (Ben) ’04 and Meredith Blauch ’05 Wideman moved to Pasadena, Calif., in August for Ben to begin seminary studies. He has completed his first semester at Fuller. Ben notes there is a growing Harrisonburg/EMU community in Pasadena, contributing to making the Weidmans feel at home.

Sean ’05 and Rita McCrae ’06 Boer, Akron, Pa., are employed at Philhaven, a mental and behavioral health agency, Mt. Gretna, Pa. Michael Henning ’05, Crozet, Va., had an article, “Affecting Kt/V: An Analysis of Staff Interventions,” published in the November 2007 issue of Dialysis & Transplantation. This was Mike’s Evidence Based Project while a nursing student at EMU. He recently earned a master’s degree at James Madison University.

Lori Lapp MDiv ’05 Hershey, pastor of West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship, reveals her call to pastoral ministry in, “Stepping out in faith to God’s leading,” in Franconia Mennonite Conference’s October 2007 issue of Intersections.

She now provides music and liturgical dances in worship services, working with her husband, Brent MDiv ’05.

Absalom Isaac Shank ’05 and Kendra Sue ’05 Heatwole Shank live in Chapel Hill, N.C. Kendra is working on a master’s in occupational therapy at UNC-Chapel Hill. Absalom is employed at North Carolina State University, Raleigh. They attend Chapel Hill Mennonite Fellowship.

Shannon Grinnan ’05 Minor, Hayes, Va., is the domestic violence program coordinator for the Laurel Shelter, Inc., Gloucester, Va.

Susan Landis Beck

Huge Demand for Leadership Seminars

The first Friday-morning series of trainings on organizational leadership – leading to a Certificate in Organizational Leadership – were over-subscribed this January, causing EMU to quickly add a concurrent Friday afternoon session, which also filled up.

“We had 85 enrollees for these Friday seminars. It was an overwhelming response to our first efforts to combine experts in conflict transformation and organizational leadership, based at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, with other business expertise among EMU faculty,” said Susan Landes Beck, the main organizer of the sevenweek series held at EMU. “We knew offering practical tips to business leaders would be helpful, but we had no idea how much hunger there was for such assistance.”

Seminar topics include dealing with change, building a business with integrity, dealing with cultural diversity in the workplace, personality and communication styles, transforming conflict within a team, and negotiation skills. The cost is $59 per seminar, or $349 for the entire series.

For more information, visit www.emu.edu/seminarseries or e-mail pi@emu.edu. You may also call (540) 432-4651.

10,000 Videos Sold!

The “Beyond the News” video series sold its 10,000th copy in November, 2007. Jerry L. Holsopple ’80, professor of visual and communications arts, launched the series in 1993 as a Mennonite Media producer in one of Mennonite Mission Network’s predecessor agencies.

The award-winning series includes 11 videos/DVDs examining immigration, racism, money, adolescents, television violence, sexual abuse, capital punishJerry Holsopple ’80 ment, gun violence, death, homelessness and other topics. Several have been re-released on DVD. The series can be purchased at www.mennomedia.org. www.emu.edu | crossroads | 45

Tammy Briggs ’06, Salt Lake City, Utah, is planning to pursue a master’s in community health online from Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va. Ronald Copeland MDiv ’06, Harrisonburg, Va., began The Early Church, a church plant, June 17, in Harrisonburg.

Groff ’81, Aug. 11.

Susan Gascho ’97 to Teman GaschoCooke, Sept. 2.

Megan Horst ’98 to Paul McLaughlin, Sept. 16.

Kelinda (Keli) Lam ’00 to Iban Feldmeier, Oct. 6.

Jonalyn Denlinger ’06, Lancaster, Pa., is a bi-lingual caseworker for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Lancaster, working primarily with Hispanic families in the city school system.

Christopher Keyes ’00 to Maria Dove, June 30.

Jeff McCutcheon ’06 was born and raised in Elmhurst, Ill., near Chicago.

Jeff is a fitness consultant at Gold’s Gym, Staunton, Va.

Julie M. Stoltzfus ’00 to Todd A. Lehman ’01, June 9.

Stephanie Miller ’06, Lancaster, Pa., is a chemist at Lancaster Laboratories.

Kristy Shellenberger ’02 to John Mark Snyder, June 23.

Aerlande Petros Wontamo ’06, moved to St. Louis, Mo., after working in Washington, D.C., for one year. She began graduate studies at Saint Louis University School of Public Health, pursuing a master’s in public health with a concentration in behavioral science and community health.

Rebecca Drooger ’07, Swansea, Mass., began a one-year Mennonite Voluntary Service term in Washington, D.C., in August.

Kyle Mast ’07, Hubbard, Ore., has been employed as the new director of donor/ alumni relations at Western Mennonite School. Kyle is an alumnus of WMS and its youngest employee.

Kara Miller ’07, Perkasie, Pa., is in Fresno, Calif., as part of the outdoor programs support staff with San Joaquin River Parkway Conservation Trust.

Aaron Nussbaum ’07, Harrisonburg, Va., has joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County as an AmeriCorps volunteer, helping the agency in its administrative functions.

Soon Cheon Park MA ’07, Louisville, Ky., has been accepted into the PhD program in counseling at Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville.

Kevin Ressler ’07, Lancaster, Pa., is serving a one-year term under Mennonite Voluntary Service as a nonviolence trainer/office manager with Pace e Bene Nonviolence Services in Oakland, Calif., Rachel Spory ’07, Boswell, Pa., began employment as the development assistant/phonathon coordinator at EMU in November with primary responsibility for gift receipting and helping to establish and operate a call center on campus.

Marriages

Dennis R. Kuhns ’71 MDiv ’84 to Edith Newswanger ’60 Shenk MA ’84, Oct. 6.

Norma Jean Bender ’72 to Dan Eddy, July 28.

Wayne Smucker ’90 to Lisa Munro, June 15.

Carmen J. Hartzler ’92 to Timothy L.

46 | crossroads | spring 2008

Daniel Showalter ’00 to Joo Yeon Kim, Sept.10.

Derick Trissel ’ 01 to Laura Roes, June 2.

Amanda Stoltzfus ’05 to Matthew Myers, Oct. 20.

Craig ’95 and Krista Martin ’96 Martin, Harrisonburg, Va., Bryan Isaiah, Sept. 4.

Stephanie Lynn Walton ’05 to Eric A. Sents ’06, July 7.

Anna ’95 and Ben Yoder ’95 Wyse, Harrisonburg, Va., Sam Edwin, born May 31, adopted in June. Martha Ann, Sept. 12.

Holly Elizabeth Smith ’06 to Timothy Borkert, July 21.

Jared Morgan ’06 to Elizabeth Hagey, Aug.18.

Brenna Mae Beck ’07 to Jason M. Hostetter ’07, Oct. 14.

Mary Yoder ’07 to Rob Anderson, Aug. 4.

Births

Marshall ’96 and Donna Kay Yoder ’96 McDonald, Pasadena, Calif., Madeline Elizabeth, Oct. 2.

Jonathan ’98 and Beth Witmer ’04 Bowman ’98, Harrisonburg, Va., Caleb Isaac, Jan. 3.

Jennifer Stauffer ’97 and Eli W. Moore, Waynesboro, Va., Analise Helena, Apr. 13, 2006.

Philip (Phil) ’87 and Jana Landes, Bridgewater, Va., Cooper, Sept. 11.

Tiffany Good ’97 and Jerry Witmer, Dalton, Ohio, Benjamin Daniel, Oct. 18.

Kevin James Zook ’02 to Kara Anne Westerbeek, May 12.

Donna Harnish ’89 and Rodney Charlesworth, Lancaster, Pa., Finley Todd, July 13.

John C. Severs ’03 to Tiffany Renee Wright, Sept. 22.

Darrin Yoder ’97 and Julie Aeshliman ’99 Aeshliman-Yoder, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Lucia Salome, Aug. 19.

Lori Hochstetler ’91 and Karl Kuder, Richmond, Va., Rachel Nye, June 19.

Denver Steiner ’03 to Tara Gerber, Sept. 30.

Thomas ’98 and Kristel Wenger ’98 Kennedy, Lititz, Pa., Tessa Jane, Nov. 4.

Kevin ’91 and Tanya ’91 Kurtz-Lehman, Cornwall, Vt., Asher Emmanuel, Sept. 25.

Ryan ’98 and Hannah Rohrer ’02 Steiner, Orrville, Ohio, Seth Elijah, Sept.

22.

Jeffrey (Jeff ) ’93 and Anita Reiff, Reading, Pa., Sara Jane, Jan. 5.

Ryan ’99 and Valerie Smith ’99 Kauffman, Bellefontaine, Ohio, Simon Daniel, Aug. 31.

Erin Wentorf ’03 to Eric Lantz ’03, July 21.

Jennifer Ann Eberly ’04 to Timothy Ryan Freed, June 23.

Adam Gingerich ’04 to Erin Wagner ’05, Aug. 19.

Rebecca Reeder ’05 to Jeremiah Mast, Dec. 16, 2006.

Daniel (Dan) Risser ’05 to Cara Salmon ’05, Oct. 27.

Absalom Isaac Shank ’05 to Kendra Sue Heatwole ’05, Aug. 11.

Virginia Ann Showalter ’05 to Timothy Godshall, May 27.

Mary Jane Puryear ’94 and Joel Pena, Lancaster, Pa., Samuel Joel, Mar. 1.

Lavonne Byler ’95 and Randy Yoder, North Canton, Ohio, Nina LiYang, born, Mar. 23, 2005, adopted, Feb. 27.

John ’94, MDiv ’00 and Paula Hochstedler ’98, MDiv ’03, Stoltzfus, Lombard, Ill., Lilianna Kathryn, Oct. 23.

Tanya Rivera-Wenger ’94 and Michael Tyler ’04, Nashville, Tenn., Gabriel Harrison, Aug. 30.

NEXT!

Prizes Offered for Story Ideas for Summer Science Issue The summer 2008 issue of Crossroads will center on “alumni in science.” If you have a story about your science work - or that of another alumnus - that you think may be of interest to the 16,000 readers of Crossroads, please send a summary of it to Crossroads@emu.edu by May 1, 2008.

The five story ideas that best show “the differences being made by EMU alumni in the world of science” will be selected by a committee of five - Jim Bishop, Bonnie Price Lofton, Kirsten Parmer, Steve Shenk, and Dr, Roman Miller. The selected stories will be featured in staff-written articles in the summer issue of Crossroads. The persons submitting the five selected ideas each will receive a $50 gift certificate to Ten Thousand Villages (www.tenthousandvillages.com). Immediate family members of those on the selection committee are not eligible for this award.

Lynn ’99 and Anita Nafziger Roth, Wauseon, Ohio, Leah Ellen, Sept. 4.

Hiroko Sano ’99 and Pieric Schoch, Himaji, Hyogo, Japan, Leo Towa Sano, Nov. 20, 2006.

Dora Ybette Flores ’99 and Noah Spaulding, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Raymond Jacobo, Sept. 21.

Darla Knepp ’99 and Eddie Trejo, Balwyn North, Victoria, Australia, Lucia Isabella, Sept. 26.

Matthew ’99 and Crystal Good ’98 Trost, Harrisonburg, Va., Zachary Matthew, Oct. 3.

Phil ’00 and Jennifer Bender Bergey, Chesapeake, Va., Kendra Leigh, Sept.

16.

Carl ‘00 and Kristin Yoder ‘01 MA ‘07 Kauffman, Keezletown, Va., Phoebe Yoder, Nov. 17 Mark ’01 and Wendy Wenger ’01 Hochstedler, Alfred Station, N.Y., Isaac Lee, Sept. 14.

Janelle Myers ’01 and Jason ’99 Myers-Benner, Harrisonburg, Va., Nora Lynne, Oct. 30.

Jesse ’02 and Anna Fitzgerald ’02 Bergey, Harrisonburg, Va., Caleb Fitzgerald, Apr. 23, 2006.

David ’02 and Ericka Histand ’02 Gingerich, Hubbard, Ore., Liliana Belén, July 30.

Shawn ’02 and Melanie Miller ’03 Rice, Millersville, Pa., Lydia Grace, Nov. 9.

Megan Popp ’03 and Dustin Miller, Hutchinson, Kan., Broody Austin, Feb. 3.

Amanda Sanders ’03 and Charles Mullen, McGaheysville, Va., Tehya Elizabeth, Aug. 14.

Tim ’03 and Tama Duncan ’04 Shoemaker, Harrisonburg, Va., Jordyn Eve, Oct. 9.

Adam ’03 and Emily Wilson ’03 Starks, Winchester, Va., Isaiah Loren, Dec. 3.

Peter ’05 and Deborah Kilheffer ’99 MDiv ’06 Haddad, Scottdale, Pa., Sophia Rose of Sharon, Nov. 11.

Shannon Grinnan ’05 and James Minor, Hayes, Va., Justin, Nov. 14.

Clayton ’05 and Renee Miller Suydam, Lancaster, Pa., Eleanor “Ella” Noelle.

Oct. 10.

Anniversaries Paul G. ’49 and Esther Mast GT ’49 Kniss, Harrisonburg, Va., 60th, Aug. 23, 1947.

Emmanuel (Manny) ’56, MA ’86 and Lois Mumaw ’56 Martin, Harrisonburg, Va., 50th, May 25, 1957.

Paul ’58 and June Brubaker Schrock, Harrisonburg, Va., 50th , Sept. 7, 1957.

Harvey GT ’60, CPS ’94 and Lillian Stoltzfus, Morgantown, Pa., 50th , Sept. 14, 1957.

Henry ’63 and Mary Beachey Diener, White Pigeon, Mich., 70th, Dec. 27, 1937.

John ’71 and Huldah Gehman ’50 Claude, Wilmington, N.C., 50th, July 28, 1957.

Deaths

Mary Virginia Showalter ’33, 92, Stuarts Draft, Va., Nov. 17.

Grace Heebner ’34, Seitz, 92, Harrisonburg, Va., Dec. 20. Her husband, Kenneth ’34, survives.

Barbara E. Stutzman ’35 Bowman, 89, Harrisonburg, Va., Dec. 5.

Esther Mast ’49 Kniss, 84, Harrisonburg, Va., Oct. 28. Her husband, Paul ’49, survives.

Anna Mary Eberly ’51 Martin Weaver, 94, Ephrata, Pa., Sept. 15.

Mary Anna Riehl ’54, 85, Lancaster, Pa., July 4.

Aquila Peachey ’58, 72, Milroy, Pa, Oct. 1.

Jason Martin ’59, 80, Goshen, Ind., Dec. 3. His wife, Mary Fuss Baer ’56 Martin, survives.

Daniel Roggie ’64, 69, Lowville, N.Y., Dec.10.

Harvey W. Ashby II ’67, 64, Harrisonburg, Va., Sept. 14.

Walter E. Hochstetler ’67, 63, Beech Grove Community, Nonington North, England, Nov. 20.

Marlyn M. Ranck ’69, 60, Durham, N.C., Sept. 8.

Hess, survives.

Shirley Swartzendruber ’70 Phelps, 59, Bethany, Okla., Nov. 3.

Cynthia K. Minter ’79, 50, Harrisonburg, Va., Dec. 5.

Corrections Pertaining to the Fall 2007 issue of Crossroads: The marriage announcement of Julianne Joy Delp ’06 incorrectly listed the name of her husband. Julianne’s husband’s name is William Shannon Secrist.

They were married Apr.14 (page 46).

The award listed as being given to Timothy D. (Tim) Shenk (page 43) was in reality awarded to Timothy I. Shenk the son of N. Gerald and Sara Wenger Shenk, EMU faculty. Their son, Tim, is a graduate of Goshen College, not EMU. Cedric Roth ’91 (page 42) is director of youth and young adults of Franklin Mennonite Conference, not Franconia Mennonite Conference.

Phil Risser ’80 and Glenn Cordell ’63 (page 42) are members of Franklin Mennonite Conference, not Franconia Mennonite Conference.

Pearl Zehr ’66 (page 40). The Milepost for Pearl applies to Pearl Zehr, the wife of Floyd Zehr ’54. She is not an EMU alumna but a graduate of Goshen College. Pearl A. Zehr ’66, Croghan, N.Y., is an EMU alumna.

DEGREE KEY

BD – bachelor of divinity GT – two-year degree HS – high school degree MAC – MA in conflict transformation MAL – MA in church leadership MAM – MA in church ministries MAR – MA in religion MDiv – master of divinity ThB – bachelor of theology

Mileposts is compiled by retired physician Paul T. Yoder ’50, MAL ’92, who may be reached at Paul.T.Yoder@emu.edu or at (540) 432-4205. Feel free to send news directly to Paul or to the alumni office at alumni@emu.edu.

Yoder, Martin Honored

The Martins and the Yoders

Two veteran church leaders - Paul T. Yoder ‘50, MAL ‘92, and John R. Martin ‘54 and ‘56 (Sem)- were honored at the Seminary’s annual School for Leadership Training in January for their more than 50 years of ministry. Yoder, a retired physician, was a medical missionary in Ethiopia until 1977. He then practiced family medicine in Virginia until he took on full-time pastoral and Virginia Mennonite Conference responsibilities in the late 1980s.

Martin has been pastor of Fish Lake Mennonite Church, Walkerton, Indiana; Hyattsville (Maryland) Mennonite Church; and Neffsville Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is the author of three books. He was overseer with Ohio Mennonite Conference from 1962 to 1971 and has held numerous other positions in churchaffiliated agencies, including faculty and administrative positions at the Seminary in the 1970s.

The honorees’ spouses - Daisy B. Yoder ‘52 and Marian L. Martin - were also cited for their “significant supportive roles” over the years.

See www.emu.edu/seminary/features/slt08recognition for a fuller story.

Crossroads Wins Award Crossroads magazine won a major award this year from the southeast district of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Competing against dozens of magazines produced by larger institutions, Crossroads – edited by Bonnie Price Lofton, MA ‘04, and designed by Matt Styer ‘05 – received a “special merit award” in the category of “magazine publishing improvement.”

The other winners in this category were magazines produced in 2007 by Furman University in South Carolina, Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, the University of Alabama, the University of Miami, Brenau University in Georgia and Barry University in Florida.

The southeast CASE district consists of 565 universities, secondary schools and other institutions involved in higher education from Washington D.C. to Florida.

The award confirms informal feedback sent by alumni, such as this Jan. 20 e-mail to the editor from Daniel Lehman ’72, professor of English at Ashland University in Ohio: “I have really enjoyed Crossroads in the past year. You are doing an outstanding job (as one journalist to another), and I love the way that EMU is highlighting its distinctive mission as well as the peace and justice programs.”

Betsy Robertson, magazine editor at Auburn University in Alabama and one of the CASE contest organizers, said the award to Crossroads was especially notable “for a small staff.” In last year’s contest, the winners in this CASE category included James Madison University , Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Virginia, and the University of Richmond.

David L. Hess III ’70, 63, Mt. Joy, Pa., Sept. 22. His wife, Miriam Miller ’68

www.emu.edu | crossroads | 47

Thanks for Giving Me a Second Chance

by Sarah E. Moffet ’02

F

48 | crossroads | spring 2008

Sarah Moffet Photo. Courtesy of Rebekah Moffet

ew schools would have taken a chance on a student like me. Not many schools want a student recently expelled from another Christian college, regardless of the reason. Eastern Mennonite University, for better or worse, gave me a chance to start over, granting my request for admission as a junior in the fall of 2000.

Upon arrival at EMU, it didn’t take me long to grasp that I was in a different kind of place. I had been raised in a Baptist family that boasted a military lineage that had fought in every American war since the Revolutionary War, while EMU was filled with pacifist ideas, beliefs, and people. I had known pacifism was part of the school’s history, of course, but I had failed to appreciate it was a very real part of the school’s international and local communities back ongoing education. A line between me and together. I came to see that this university the majority of the student population was was challenging its students to make their drawn in my first religion class, “Faith and faith an impetus for action. EMU taught its Praxis.” students, in the words of Elie Wiesel, that One fall morning, the teacher asked us to “there may be a time when we are powerless line ourselves up on a continuum, ranging to prevent injustice, but there must never be from 1 to 10, with 1 being completely opa time when we fail to protest.” posed to war and 10 being pro-war. I was an I learned to respect those who were 8. Only one person stood closer to 10 than pacifists as an expression of their faith and me. Everyone else was parked on 4 or less. I to recognize those who held pacifism as a was already a bit isolated, having transferred political ideology. Making this distinction into a small-school setting, but that class enabled me to appreciate and enact certain heightened my sense of being an outsider. components of pacifism into my own life.

After that, I spent a lot of time hanging out It also pushed me to better articulate my with the international students who didn’t own diverse views in social and classroom care about my militaristic tendencies nearly sections. as much as whether I could dance. (FortuEMU did more than just give me an opnately, they accepted me despite the fact I portunity to reexamine and change myself. could not.)

It also helped me improve my external perYet little by little I absorbed some of the spectives. I spent a semester in the Republic perspectives of the majority around me. I of Ireland and Northern Ireland, meeting consumed the assigned readings regarding with members of the Irish Republican Army the horrors of war experienced by civiland Ulster Volunteer Forces while touring, ians, learned of the efforts at diplomacy and I participated in the George Marshall by the pacifists, and observed the cultural Scholars program. Meanwhile I obtained and religious integration undertaken by the academic foundation to obtain admisstudents and teachers alike to bring broken sion into law school. At EMU I learned how

to analyze positions, accepting some facets and discarding others, which has served me well in my personal life and legal and writing careers.

Six years out of EMU, my life is a healthy mixture of who I was and what I have become. In the words of Jack Kerouac, “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels.

The troublemakers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently . . . Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

These days, I’m a writer moonlighting as a lawyer for 2,000 billable hours a year, opportunities I may have missed if EMU had not accepted me after my expulsion. Now working on my second book, A Tale of Three Cities – which will include my collegiate experiences while at EMU – I have come to understand that my education at EMU was as focused on making the student self-aware as it was globally focused. EMU understood that you have to know yourself before you can know, let alone save, the world.

Looking back, EMU remains to me a school with flaws and faults, much like its students and teachers. It is, however, a school able to uniquely bring out the best in those looking for it in themselves. It combined who I was – a flawed person of potential – with what it is – a place to learn.

A place to become better. A place to change ourselves, and maybe, leave to change the world around us. A place that gave me… a chance.

And for that, I will always be grateful.

Sarah E. Moffett completed her law degree in 2005 at the George Mason University School of Law. Her first book, Growing Up Moffett, was published in April, 2007. She is a civil litigator at the Alexandria, Virginia, office of LeClair Ryan. Her website is www.sarahmoffett.com.

Buy Something? or Change Lives?

This spring you’ll get a tax rebate from the federal government. Maybe $300, maybe $1,200, maybe even more,* The government would like you to spend that money on things.

We’d like you to invest it in changing the lives of young people.

Each year, dozens of young people who would like to come to EMU cannot, because they need more financial aid than EMU is able to offer.

Invest your rebate in the 2008 EMU Economic Stimulus Fund.

You’ll change the direction of someone’s entire life.

In doing so, you’ll be helping to re-shape the world, bringing it closer to the vision of Christ. * Most individuals will receive $600. Most married couples will receive $1,200 as well as $300 for each dependent child.

With just $300,000 in rebate money, EMU can offer $5,000 in financial aid to 15 worthy students for four straight years! Fifteen students who would have missed a life-changing experience at EMU without your contribution…

Ponder and pray. Check whether it feels “right” to give your tax rebate to EMU, rather than spending it as the federal government hopes.

Change lives!

Visit this webpage www.emu.edu/giving/rebate Or contact us if you have any questions: Phil Helmuth at phil.helmuth@emu.edu Art Borden at arthur.borden@emu.edu or call (800) 368-3383 www.emu.edu | crossroads | 49

on the calendar April 4-6

April 12 & 13

April 26

April 4, 7:30 p.m., Landis Valley Mennonite Church, Lancaster, Pa. April 5, 7 p.m., Marion Mennonite Church, Chambersburg, Pa. April 6, 9:30 a.m., Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Belleville, Pa., and 7 p.m. at Christ Church UCC, Annville, Pa.

Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir. In Lehman Auditorium, 7 p.m. (Apr. 12) and 3 p.m.

(Apr. 13). Admission is charged. See www. emu.edu/svcc

Lehman Auditorium, 3 p.m.

Chamber Singers in Pa.

April 5

Eastern Va. Alumni & Donor Appreciation Banquet

At the Point Plaza Hotel, Newport News, Va., 6 p.m. Complimentary dinner and update from President Loren Swartzendruber. Limited seating. RSVP to Marci Myers, myersmk@ emu.edu; (540) 432-4589 or (800) 368-3383.

April 8

SVCC Spring Concerts

April 16 & 18

“Tonight at 8!”

Scenes Class Performance

See the culmination of Jennifer Cooper’s students’ semester work. Lehman Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

April 18

Annual Springfest

Giant inflatables, live music, cotton candy, and more on the front lawn, starting at 3 p.m.

Sponsored by the Campus Activities Council.

Wind Ensemble Concert

April 25

April 10 & 17

Spotswood Country Club in Harrisonburg.

Lunch with President Loren Swartzendruber, 11 a.m.; captains choice golf tournament, 1 p.m. See www.emu.edu/giving/golf.

Lehman Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Donations will be accepted to support the music department scholarship program.

VACA Senior Shows

Featuring the work of graduating Visual and Communication Arts students. Openings at 7:30 p.m., in the Hartzler Library and the Student Gallery in the University Commons.

Shows run through April 20.

EASTERN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY Harrisonburg, VA 22802-2462 Parents: If this is addressed to your son or daughter who has established a separate residence, please give us the new address. Call (540) 432-4294 or e-mail alumni@emu.edu

President’s Cup Golf Classic

Seminary Commencement

April 26

University Baccalaureate Lehman Auditorium, 7 p.m.

April 27

University Commencement

Dr. Beryl H. Brubaker, EMU provost who is retiring June 2008 after 37 years of service, will be the featured speaker. 1 p.m., campus front lawn.

June 8-15

16th Annual Bach Festival

This year’s theme is “Bach and String Things.”

See www.emu.edu/bach for details.

The public is welcome at all events listed. For detailed information visit www.emu.edu/events at any time.

You may also call the EMU activities line at (540) 432-4362.

April 25

Seminary Baccalaureate Martin Chapel, 7 p.m.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID Harrisonburg, Virginia