Annual Alumni Awards
Nominate someone for an alumni award
Alumni Awards: Bridge-builder Brittany Caine-Conley MDiv ’14 selected for Outstanding Young Alum Award
Caine-Conley believes in the importance of connecting Christian communities with radical activists, using her pastoral presence as a bridge to form meaningful relationships between the church and social justice movements. She has been selected by EMU’s Alumni Association as the 2025 Outstanding Young Alum.
Each year EMU honors at least three graduates from among the more than 19,500 EMU alumni who are sharing Christ’s love around the world in their everyday lives.
Nominate someone for an alumni award
Award recipients are honored during Homecoming and Family Weekend, held each October. Nominations for the Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Young Alumnus/a, or Alumnus/a of the Year Award are made by EMU alumni or current members of the EMU community and are reviewed by the alumni association.
Nominees must be an alumnus/a of EMU and must have made an outstanding contribution to EMU, the church or community over a long period of time.
Distinguished Service Award
Nominees must be graduates of EMU (or attended at least two years) and must have made an outstanding contribution to EMU, the church or community over a long period of time.
- 2023 Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly '89
- 2022 Dr. Joseph Gascho '68
- 2021 Timothy and Cheryl Heatwole Shenk '07
- 2020 Stan and Susan Godshall '65
- 2019 Wu Wei MDiv '06
- 2018 Gilberto Perez Jr. '94, GC '99 (conflict transformation)
- 2017 Leonard Dow '87
- 2016 Donna '69 and Wayne '67 Burkhart
- 2015 John A. Lapp '54
- 2014 Donald Sensenig '60
- 2013 Ezra T. Peachey ’54, Seminary ’56
- 2012 David Boshart ’86, MA ’87
- 2011 Glen Lapp '91
- 2010 Nadene Brunk '75
- 2009 J. Robert Eshleman
- 2008 Herman Bontrager
- 2007 Clair Schnupp
- 2006 Claude Good
- 2005 Melodie Davis
- 2004 Dr. Richard F. Keeler
- 2003 David W. Shenk
- 2002 Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz & Sam Gbaydee Doe
- 2001 Bill Detweiler
- 2000 Monroe Yoder
- 1999 Paul & Leanna Beiler
- 1998 Robert & Nancy Martin
- 1997 Dr. Donald E. Martin
- 1996 Harold & Annetta Miller
- 1995 Paul & Esther Kniss
- 1994 Dora Taylor
- 1993 Paul M. and Ann Keener Gingrich
- 1992 Mark and Pauline Peachey Lehman
- 1991 Harold and Arlene Heatwole Eshleman
- 1990 Roland B. Yoder
- 1989 Ruth Brunk Stoltzfus
- 1988 Ruth S. S. Hostetter
- 1987 Dr. George Brenneman
- 1986 Samuel Z. Strong
- 1985 Winston O. Weaver, Sr.
- 1984 James M. Shank
Outstanding Young Alumnus/Alumna
Nominees must be graduates of EMU (or attended at least two years) who have made a significant contribution to their professional field or the global community while reflecting Christ-like service or leadership.
- 2023 Basil Marin '10
- 2022 Camila Pandolfi '12
- 2021 Ral Obioha '08
- 2020 Lyubov Slashcheva ’11
- 2019 Liza Heavener '07
- 2018 Claudette Monroy ’10
- 2017 Dr. Laura Rosenberger '03
- 2016 Grace '10
- 2015 Martin Histand '05
- 2014 Elizabeth Good '09
- 2013 Isabel Castillo '08
Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award
Nominees must be graduates of EMU (or attended at least two years) and must have made a significant contribution or achievement in their profession, church, community or family in recent years.
- 2023 Andy Dula '91
- 2022 Amy Rosenberger '85
- 2021 John Lowe '81
- 20202 Luke Gascho '74
- 2019 Erik Kratz '02
- 2018 Regina Horst Chacha '85
- 2017 Anxo Perez '97
- 2016 Harvey Yoder '64
- 2015 James L. Rosenberger '68
- 2014 Donald Oswald '75
- 2013 Tim Leaman ’93, MD
- 2012 Vic ’73 and Christina Yoder ’73 Buckwalter
- 2011 Leymah Gbowee, MA ’07
- 2010 Dwight Gingerich '81
- 2009 Anthony Pratkanis
- 2008 Donald Kraybill
- 2007 Ingida Asfaw
- 2006 Catherine Mumaw
- 2005 Myron Blosser
- 2004 Willard M. Swartley
- 2003 D. Michael and Virginia A. (Ginny) Hostetler
- 2002 J. Harold Zook
- 2001 Marilyn Metzler
- 2000 Henry Miller
- 1999 Esther K. Augsburger
- 1998 Dr. Elton D. Lehman
- 1997 Margie Mejia-Caraballo
- 1996 Rachel Yoder
- 1995 Susan Classen
- 1994 Dr. Glen R. Brubaker
- 1993 Henry L. Rosenberger
- 1992 J. Daryl Byler
- 1991 Sheryl King Wyse
- 1990 Valentine Yutzy
- 1989 Luis A. Gonzalez
- 1988 J. Robert Ramer
- 1987 Donald E. Showalter
- 1986 Richard E. and Ruthanne Janzen Garber
- 1985 David M. Leaman
- 1984 Warren Rohrer
- 1983 Tesfatsion Dalellew
- 1982 Paul T. and Daisy Byler Yoder
- 1981 Helen Good Brenneman
- 1980 Hubert Schwartzentruber
- 1979 Miriam E. Krantz
- 1978 Richard G. and Elaine Hunter Stoltzfus
- 1977 Maribel Kraybill
- 1976 B. Charles and Grace Brackbill Hostetter
- 1975 Irvin B. Horst
- 1974 John M. and Betty Keener Drescher
- 1973 Arno and Jacqueline Thimm-Richardson
- 1972 J. C. Wenger
- 1971 Paul N. Kraybill
- 1970 Linford K. Gehman
- 1969 Hubert R. Pellman
- 1968 Paul M. Roth
- 1967 Elizabeth S. Erb