There’s no place like HOMEcoming: See the 2024 highlights

Past and present Royals alike followed the yellow brick road back to Eastern Mennonite University for an unforgettable Homecoming and Family Weekend. With more than 380 people registered for 30+ different events from Oct. 11-13, 2024, campus was buzzing with Royal pride.

More than 120 alumni who attended EMU (then Eastern Mennonite College, or EMC) 50 or more years ago gathered for the Jubilee Luncheon in Martin Chapel on Friday. Eighty of those in attendance represented the class of 1974 and were inducted into the Jubilee Alumni Association.

View the Homecoming 2024 photo gallery here!

Alumni traveled from near and far to attend the luncheon, sharing treasured memories and lessons learned from their time at EMU. Jackie Sullivan Smoot ‘74, who taught in the Shenandoah school system for 37 years, talked about her life-changing intercultural experience teaching for a summer in Atlanta. “I grew up that summer. My appreciation for my family, for life in general, grew that summer,” said the Shenandoah, Va. alumna.

For Joe Fretz ‘74, the questions raised at EMU served as a sort of anchor, grounding him through loss and his faith journey long after graduation. “The courage to question turned out to be the great gift I received from EMU,” said the Colorado-based alumnus.

June Smucker-Handrich ‘74 traveled from Oregon. Patricia Lehman ‘74 traveled 41 hours from Washington state, and Kirk Martin ‘74 and Callie Kan flew over 9,000 miles from Singapore. Alumni who attended the luncheon came from a total of 14 states and three countries.

Friday afternoon continued with an art opening at EMU’s Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery. The packed exhibition featured the work of Becca Gish ‘09, Rhoda Miller ‘03 and Jon Styer ‘07. The alumni spoke about how the natural world inspired their pieces and about their artistic journeys during and after EMU.

Styer says he developed a love for combining arts forms—drawing, painting and graphic design—at EMU where he had the opportunity to “explore all of the arts.”

View the exhibition through Nov. 8! The gallery is open Monday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Friday night came to a close with the Royal Appreciation Reception: Royals in the Land of Oz in University Commons. More than 190 alumni and donors chatted over hors d’oeuvres prepared by food service director Shannon Grinnan and her Pioneer College Catering team. Attendees, which also included student leaders, enjoyed gourmet cheeses to apple pie pot stickers to a ginger apple mocktail with fresh mint from the EMU gardens.

President Susan Schultz Huxman shared updates about the university at the event; she punctuated each update with an on-theme quote from The Wizard of Oz. “There’s no place like a welcoming and inclusive home,” Huxman said. “Creating spaces for all students to be seen and validated is an ongoing, collective effort across the university.”

President Huxman kicked off the Opening Celebration Breakfast on Saturday in University Commons. “This morning we celebrate achievements. We celebrate careers. We celebrate memories.” The breakfast recognized Seth Crissman ‘09, MDiv ‘15 with the Outstanding Young Alum Award; Kendra Conrad Bailey ‘03, MA ‘05 with the Alum of the Year Award; and Dr. Lee Roy Berry Jr. ‘66 with the Distinguished Service Award. (Crissman, Bailey, and Berry are pictured left to right above.)

Following the breakfast, a separate ceremony celebrated Hall of Honor inductees Gina Troyer ‘93 (volleyball, basketball, and softball); Bianca Ygarza ‘14 (basketball); Roland Landes (professor and coach of men’s cross-country, baseball, men’s basketball, women’s cross-country, and track and field); and Michael Allen ‘13 (track and field). Each inductee was introduced by a family member, friend, or coach. (Troyer, Ygarza, Landes, and Allen are pictured left to right above.)

More than 300 people—alumni, affinity groups, clubs, programs and departments—filled the Front Lawn for food, fellowship and fun at the Royal City Celebration. Music by the EMU Gospel Choir, music professor Dr. David Berry, and the Walking Roots Band featuring Seth Crissman ‘09, MDiv ‘15; Perry Blosser ‘18; Greg Yoder; Kristina (Landis) Yoder ‘09; Mitchell Yoder ‘09; and Lauren Yoder ‘09 provided the backdrop for the sunshiny setting. Deanna Reed, mayor of Harrisonburg and director of alumni engagement & community connections, brought the emcee energy.

The Royal City Celebration also brought EMU’s first crowning of a homecoming court. The court included first-year students Ella Richer (environmental science) and Jack Gallagher (business); sophomores Caleb Metzler (political science, sociology, Spanish) and Kaylene Todd (psychology); juniors Leah Beachy (nursing) and Joshua Stucky (nursing); and seniors Adam Stolzfus (engineering) and Adriana Jacobs (physical education). (Gallagher, Todd, Beachy, Stucky, Stotzfus, and Jacobs are pictured left to right above; Richer and Metzler are not pictured.)

The two students elected from each class were chosen by the student body as role models, leaders, and contributors to the campus community. Laughter and cheers ensued as members were introduced and crowned with glittering tiaras by Ka’Shea Jones-Mitchell, administrative assistant for advancement.

Modeled after TED Talks, EMU TenTalks featured three speakers—Ashley Mellinger ‘24; Adesola Johnson, senior biology major; and Dr. Mark Sawin, EMU professor of history and honors program director—sharing their stories for 10 minutes each with a Q&A at the end.

Read a longer detailed write-up or watch a recording of the livestream on EMU’s Facebook.

Saturday afternoon also included a Track & Field Complex Dedication featuring a planned program with remarks from donors and EMU leaders. A pole run and relay race marked the official opening of the track where attendees were able to test out the surface for themselves.

Read a full write-up of the event.

Sports fans had a number of opportunities to get their fix during the weekend: an alumni baseball game that pitted grads against EMU’s baseball team, Women’s Field Hockey vs. Sweet Briar, Women’s Volleyball vs. Lynchburg, Women’s Soccer vs. Guilford, and Men’s Soccer vs. Lynchburg.

Topping off the festivities was a Sunday morning worship service at Park View Mennonite Church with the EMU Chamber Singers. Additionally, alumni from the Black Student Alliance, Latinx Student Alliance, Asian Pacific Islanders Student Alliance, and Queer Student Alliance gathered on- and off-campus during the weekend.

EMU Theatre premiered its production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical on Friday. The show continues on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. Buy tickets now!

Check out the EMU Facebook page for any recorded events. We hope to see you again next year!