Momentous weekend celebrates inauguration of EMU’s 10th president
Homecoming and Inauguration Weekend 2026 was one for the history books. It featured a first-of-its-kind gala that celebrated EMU’s history, a concert by The Steel Wheels on the campus Front Lawn, and, as the centerpiece of the weekend, the investiture of the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as the university’s 10th president.
There were plenty of events to attend and people to meet. In case you missed any of the festivities, we’ve rounded up some of the highlights below!
Community Partners Luncheon
A networking event bringing together business owners, local leaders, and government officials from across the Shenandoah Valley kicked off inauguration weekend by recognizing EMU’s community partnerships.
Writers Read
The homecoming festivities continued the following evening with a Writers Read featuring Patricia Grace King ’89, author of Those Who Vanish, and moderator Esther Harder ’03.
Golden Alumni Luncheon
Former classmates reminisced about their time on campus at EMU’s Golden Alumni Luncheon, held at Martin Chapel for alumni who attended Eastern Mennonite 50 years ago or more.
The Inaugural Evening: An All-Black Affair
Yoder Arena took on an air of elegance on Oct. 9 as donors and other university supporters gathered for The Inaugural Evening: An All-Black Affair, a gala celebrating EMU’s history.
EMU Athletics Hall of Honor
Four former student-athletes were inducted into the EMU Athletics Hall of Honor on Oct. 9. The 25th annual ceremony, held at MainStage Theater, featured tributes to 2026 honorees Sarah Roth Shank ’10, Ryan Eshleman-Robles ’13, Hannah Chappell-Dick ’16, and Jess (Rheinheimer) Bishop ’16.
A Capella Collective
The night wrapped up with an a cappella concert at Lehman Auditorium, where local groups featuring many EMU alumni joined forces for a performance.
The Investiture of the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus
Beginning at the 10th hour of the 10th day of the 10th month of EMU’s 110th year, an investiture ceremony in Yoder Arena formally inaugurated the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as the university’s 10th president and first Black president.
EMU TenTalks
EMU hosted its annual TenTalks event Saturday afternoon, featuring Alumni of the Year Eric Brubaker ’01 and Trent Wagler ’02 of The Steel Wheels, Distinguished Service Award recipient Cynthia Lapp ’86, and Outstanding Young Alum Award recipient Kirk Livers ’11. Each had 10 minutes to impact, influence, and inspire the crowd.
Royal City Celebration
The sound of Americana and folk rock music filled the EMU Front Lawn on Saturday afternoon as The Steel Wheels performed at the third annual Royal City Celebration. It marked the first time the alumni-fronted band had performed on campus since the 2017 Centennial Homecoming celebration. The band, which has performed for more than 20 years, will make its Grand Ole Opry debut on Sunday.
As he listened to the music, John Shenk ’71 remarked on the lineup of events during Homecoming and Inauguration Weekend.
“Yesterday, with the three events I was at, I thought, ‘How could they improve from that today?’” said Shenk, who also attended the Golden Alumni Luncheon, the All-Black Affair, and the a cappella concert. “Well, they totally outdid it!”
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