Royal fanfare: A last Homecoming and Centennial weekend “Come one, come all!”

The stage is empty, but as calliope music plays softly in the background, you take your seat … and then, all at once, or maybe after 100 years, a voice beckons, commands:

In One! Single! Article! let us show you all of the wonders of the EMU Centennial and the upcoming Homecoming and Family Weekend! It’s almost here, after all!

The music plays faster and faster as a cast of eager EMUnnonites rush (peacefully) onstage, pushing and pulling (still peacefully) Centennially-oriented gems in front of you, the announcer announcing all the while:

THIS!

THIS!

THIS!

You sit in amazement as the announcer continues:

First, warm up for the festivities at the Centennial Gaming Hub with Crazy Eights! Tic-tac-toe! Beat Herm at chess! Go on a scavenger hunt! (The games were developed in-house by Joshua Lyons [he’s a James Madison University grad, but we love him anyway.])

Then, check out EMUStories.com, a new repository of EMU alumni stories and campus history in print, audio and video formats! Sort by decade, theme or topic! Search for specific individuals and key words! Submit stories and photos via an online form!

Marvel at change! Innovation! Tradition! Delve into a series of historical timelines:

• General university history
• Dining hall
• Athletics
• The arts
• Diversity
• African-American history
• YPCA
• Weather Vane student newspaper
• Sustainability
• Information Systems
• The Sadie A. Hartzler Library

And then, calendar in hand, you prepare to celebrate — in real life — during the special Centennial Homecoming and Family Weekend activities:

The Centennial Century cycling event offers scenic Shenandoah Valley loops of 5, 31 and 62 miles.

The 10 x 10 x 100 Centennial Art Show opens with an artist talk and reception. The six artists created 100 works, each measuring 10 x 10. A percentage of sales will be donated to the EMU arts program.

The Steel Wheels, chock full of alums, headline the Fall Festival offerings. Read more about the concert here.

EMUTenTalks will showcase restorative justice practitioner and slam poet Jodie Geddes MA ‘16, entrepreneur Anxo Pérez ‘97 and musician Trent Wagler ‘02.

The theatrical celebration What we bring. What we take. What we leave., produced by Ingrid De Sanctis ‘88 and Ted Swartz ‘89, MACL ‘92, brings a troupe of alumni actors to the stage.

Historian Don Kraybill ‘67 signs his new history of EMU titled Eastern Mennonite University: A Century of Countercultural Education (Penn State Press) and hosts several events over the weekend. Read more here.

Visit the EMU Centennial website for more information, including a growing list of affinity group drop-ins on Saturday afternoon (Alleluia Singers of 1969, various sports teams, specific cross-cultural groups, Honors Program, Latino Student Alliance, Black Student Union, library assistants, and many more)!

Eastern Mennonite School is also celebrating their Centennial Homecoming. Visit their website for weekend activities.

The calliope music continues festively as you continue exploring, remembering, celebrating! See you soon!