Faculty and staff energize for the year ahead at Fall 2026 conference
Faculty and staff members gathered for the Fall 2026 Faculty and Staff Conference from Aug. 18-19. Many returned to campus after a restful and restorative summer, while others joined the EMU community for the first time.
Hosted by the offices of the president and the provost, the conference cultivates community at the start and close of each academic year and provides space for faculty and staff to reconnect, welcome new colleagues, engage with thought-provoking ideas, and share in conversation and fellowship.
“I hope this conference leaves us not only informed, but inspired, connected, and ready to do the work ahead together,” said Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president for academic affairs, catches up with Dr. Jamie Mak, assistant vice president of academic and program growth for EMU at Lancaster, and M. Esther Showalter, instructor of Spanish language and Hispanic studies.
LEFT: President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus presents the presidential address at the Fall 2026 Faculty and Staff Conference on Aug. 18. RIGHT: Kirk Shisler ’81, senior gift planning advisor, chats with Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president of enrollment and marketing, and Christopher Jones, director of marketing and communications, at the conference.
The conference kicked off with an address from the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, who officially became EMU’s 10th president on July 1. She called on those gathered at Martin Chapel to find the courage to “build a university our mission calls us to become.”
“This means…we become more aligned across a shared purpose, less defined by our individual areas, and more connected by the students and communities we are here to serve,” she said.
Dycus shared encouraging enrollment news, announcing historically high numbers of applications and admitted students to EMU. The incoming first-year class is 15% larger than last year’s class. Of those students, 43% are student-athletes, 52% identify as students of color, 55% identify as first-generation college students, and 78% are from Virginia.
“This tells us something important: students and families are seeing value in what EMU offers and they are choosing us,” she said.
As EMU moves into the third year of its five-year Forward Together Campaign, it has secured $33.5 million of its $40 million goal. Alumni participation, which has been declining nationally and at EMU, has taken an upward turn, Dycus said, citing a number of new estate commitments and corporate unrestricted giving.
“Let’s make this year one that we get serious about retention, clear-eyed about our finances, and build a bold future that we can together be proud of and continue supporting,” she said.
LEFT: Faculty and staff members connect during a coffee break. RIGHT: Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz ’81 leads a plenary session during the first day of the conference.
The conference theme, “Power & Equity: Power is a Verb,” built on this year’s university theme and offered an honest look at how power moves through a university and what it means to hold it responsibly.
Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz ’81 led a plenary session on “Faith, Power & Belonging.” She serves as denominational minister for peace and justice for Mennonite Church USA, where she resources conference ministers, conferences, and pastors and coordinates peacebuilding initiatives throughout the denomination. Prior to joining MC USA, she spent more than 25 years coordinating Mennonite Central Committee’s Restorative Justice program. She has a BSW from EMU and an MSW from Marywood University (Scranton, Pennsylvania).
She led participants to reflect on their own social identities, power, and privilege and where they fall within each dimension.
“As leaders and educators, I think one of our highest responsibilities is ensuring that every student who arrives here in a state of uncertainty finds the same power to reshape their story,” she said.
LEFT: Faculty and staff members connect over a coffee break held in the lower level of Suter Science Center. RIGHT: Luke Litwiller ’19, MATL ’24, director of undergraduate admissions, presents a learning session on workflow and AI.
The second day of the conference began with a coffee break and welcome ceremony recognizing the faculty and staff members who have joined EMU in the past year.
“We are so glad you are here,” Dycus told them. “You bring gifts, experiences, perspectives, questions, and possibilities that we need.”
Faculty and staff members participated in a variety of learning sessions throughout the day, with topics ranging from AI and campus safety to student mental health and employee satisfaction.
At a faculty learning session held in Suter Science Center 106, Dr. Paul Dean, professor of sociology and department chair at Ohio Wesleyan University, led a presentation on “Understanding Class Cultures: A Two-Pronged Approach to Supporting Working-Class, First-Gen Students.” Dean is an award-winning instructor and author of several books whose work focuses on class inequality and the experiences of first-generation students.
At another session, Braydon Hoover ’11, MAOL ’21, vice president of enrollment and marketing, presented on “Enrollment Literacy: How Every Faculty and Staff Member Can Help Grow EMU’s Future.” He provided an overview of the higher education environment, including some of the threats that small, private colleges and universities face.
“Students expect personalization and immediacy, and that’s where small schools like EMU can shine,” he said. “Unlike our big public counterparts, we engage directly with students and their parents.”
Visiting campus is among the strongest predictors of enrollment. EMU offers a $1,000 Visit Grant, renewable for up to four years, for students who visit campus before Jan. 1 and enroll in fall 2027. Eligible students can receive up to $4,000 over four years.
One student who visited EMU this year had the opportunity to meet Cyndi Gusler, professor of art, who guided her through a one-hour watercolor session.
“That made the difference for her,” Hoover said. “She was applying to 10 schools all around Virginia, and because Cyndi took the time to sit with her, talk about her goals, and do something engaging, that student made the choice to come to EMU.”
The conference wrapped up with a couple of hours of activity time. Faculty and staff members could enjoy frozen treats from Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard and play basketball, pickleball or disc golf, walk on the EMU track, or knit and crochet.
Join the Discussion on “Power and equity inspired, connected, and ready”