Class Year: 1990
Civil rights activist, pastor and social work professor Titus Bender was a catalyst for social change
When African American civil rights activist Vincent Harding and his wife visited Meridian, Mississippi, in the early 1960s, they met Titus Bender for the first time. Bender, then a Mennonite pastor, activist and social worker, arranged to rendezvous with the Hardings at a local gas station to guide them into town. When the two men … More
EMU Alumni and Friends Tour to Israel and Palestine will have ‘lifelong impact’
Before her recent Eastern Mennonite University Alumni and Friends Tour to Israel and Palestine, Betty Holsinger Shenk ’75 “knew it would be great.” It turned out, though, to be more than that. “This was a trip of a lifetime,” she said. “Its impact will be lifelong.” During two weeks from Oct. 20 – Nov. 3, … More
Spanning nearly 50 years of institutional leadership, EMC/EMU presidents emeriti reminisce
Friday afternoon’s Presidential Forum at Eastern Mennonite University’s MainStage Theater offered a rare opportunity to hear from four leaders: three who have led the institution through major cultural and curricular change, and a fourth whose current leadership symbolizes a new beginning and new challenges. “This is one of the events I’ve been looking forward to … More
Bibliophiles Delight: 100 Years of EMU Library History
From one book (Virgil’s Aeneid) to more than 500,000 items today, the library has always been a source of knowledge, wisdom and social life at first Eastern Mennonite School, then Eastern Mennonite College and now Eastern Mennonite University. Sadie A. Hartzler Library Director Marci Frederick combed carefully through the reports of previous directors to find … More
‘An Experiment Like No Other’: Centennial historian Donald B. Kraybill reflects on six years of research
In 2011, esteemed author Donald B. Kraybill ’67 was commissioned to write a fresh history of Eastern Mennonite University. “We couldn’t imagine a better person to undertake this project,” said Provost Fred Kniss, in announcing the appointment. “Don brings a unique perspective as an EMU graduate, sociologist, theological and cultural interpreter, and prolific writer of … More
Those famous Mennonite harmonies
Do They Have a Future? What makes the same hymn inspire one individual to heroism and lead another to boredom cannot be calculated. It has to do with the mysterious way in which song connects us to our past, our soul, our future, our Savior. And because God intended us to be different, our uniqueness … More
100 Years of the Arts at EMU
Students entering Eastern Mennonite University today may not realize that in their grandparents’ generation, this institution offered one option in terms of music. Singing. Usually in four-part harmony. A cappella only. Hymns. Until the late 20th century, Mennonites in this country tended to limit the arts to: (1) functionality, as in hand-crafted quilts for beds … More
The Snack Shoppe Part II: Longtime manager Helen Ours talks about the favorite campus gathering place
Part I recalls the first snack shop, thanks to information provided by Janet Weaver Yoder whose father launched the enterprise. Now Helen Ours takes up the story. Say “snack shop “and you’ll conjure a lot of warm memories for alumni of Eastern Mennonite College—and yes, we’ll say EMC because that was the institution’s name when … More
‘Welcome Your Neighbor’ sign continues to spread around the nation, to the delight of its creators at Immanuel Mennonite Church
From Washington D.C. to Colorado, demand for Immanuel Mennonite Church’s “Welcome Your Neighbor” sign has skyrocketed. The sign, with a distinctive tri-color banding, reads in three languages: No matter where you’re from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor. Since first posted in front of the Harrisonburg, Virginia, church in September 2015, a flood of attention from … More
EMU’s long-lived Peace Fellowship advocates for the presence of justice on and off campus
Rarely does a week go by without some invitation from the Peace Fellowship to join other students, faculty and the Eastern Mennonite University campus community in a vigil or other form of activism in response to national and world events. In action since the late ‘60s, the club continues today with a committed core of … More
A warm welcome: signs by church become popular in city yards
Tri-color signs are appearing in yards across Harrisonburg. In the center, in English, the signs say, “No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor.” The sentence is repeated above in Spanish and below in Arabic. The signs come from the Harrisonburg District of Mennonite Churches. There are currently about 400 signs around … More
Keeping up with Information Systems: the times, they keep a’changin’
This timeline attempts to chronicle the ever-changing landscape, both mechanical and academic, of information systems at Eastern Mennonite University. Staff writer Randi B. Hagi and editor Lauren Jefferson did due diligence with these dates, cross-checking with Emeritus Professor Joe Mast ’64 [read about his legacy] and former IT Director Jack Rutt ’72, as well as … More