Stories about EMU’s new interim president, the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, dominated traffic to our news site this year, with two pieces about her leadership landing in the Top 10 most-read stories. But President Dycus wasn’t the only topic that drew readers in 2025. Visitors to the EMU news website (emu.edu/news) also gravitated toward stories celebrating alumni achievements, student successes, and intercultural learning.
Top news stories (by sessions)
Editor’s note: The most visited article on our news site with 2,140 sessions in 2025 is this 2016 profile of then-sophomore Mark Loving ’19, who shared about the legacy of his great-grandparents, Richard and Mildred Loving. Each year, readership of the story spikes around June 12, known as “Loving Day” in the U.S., to commemorate the 1967 ruling by the Supreme Court to disband all anti-miscegenation laws.
The following articles were all published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 9, 2025. They are ranked by the number of sessions, which count individual visits to the site. Unlike page views, which track every time a page is loaded, a session follows an entire visit, even when a user navigates through multiple pages.
#1 – A Royal Tale: Kaleb Wyse ’10 found recipe for success at EMU
The most read story of the year, with about 1,500 sessions as measured by Google Analytics, was our profile on accounting and business administration grad Kaleb Wyse ’10. The native Iowan shares delicious recipes, gardening tips, and home decor projects with more than a million followers through his lifestyle blog, YouTube channel, and various social media platforms, all under the “Wyse Guide” handle. He published his debut cookbook, There’s Always Room at the Table, in March.
#2 – EMU names its student affairs leader Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as interim president
Following closely behind at the No. 2 spot was our article delivering the breaking news that EMU selected the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus as its interim president, which garnered more than 1,270 visits. Dr. Dycus, formerly the vice president for student affairs, equity, and belonging at EMU, served on the Executive Leadership Team and President’s Cabinet. The announcement of her selection came during a ceremony on Friday, April 11, in Martin Chapel. Her post began on July 1 and spans a minimum of two years.
#3 – EMU seeks innovative interim president to lead through strategic transition
Our article announcing the search for an interim president, originally published in mid-January and reposted in the weekly news digest (subscribe here) and on our social media pages throughout the following month, accumulated more than 1,220 sessions. The Interim Presidential Search Committee, co-chaired by Vice Chair of the Board Jane Hoober Peifer ‘75, MDiv ‘98 and Program Director for Business & Leadership Jim Leaman ‘86, included diverse representation from across the university community.
#4 – EMU announces 2025 Cords of Distinction honorees
Each year, our story on the Cords of Distinction recipients is a favorite among readers. And this year’s edition was no different, coming in at No. 4. The award was established in 2000 to recognize and honor graduates who have demonstrated creative learning and achievement, exemplary leadership and engagement across communities, and a commitment to the values of the university.
#5 – EMU’s Jesse Longenecker crowned national champion of college disc golf
Jesse Longenecker, then a first-year environmental science major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, won the 2025 College Disc Golf National Championship in early April, besting top collegiate players from across the U.S. and Canada. “Being a part of making a name for EMU in the college disc golf world is so special to me,” he told The Weather Vane.
#6 – Chamber Singers rep North America at 500-year celebration of Anabaptism
The EMU Chamber Singers were honored as one of five ensembles from around the world selected to perform at the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism celebration in Zurich, hosted by Mennonite World Conference on May 29. About 3,500 Anabaptists gathered in the Swiss city for the celebration, including about 1,200 worshippers who filled the Grossmünster church for the service, while many tens of thousands more watched the event live online.
#7 – EMU welcomes new faculty for 2025-26 school year
In August, EMU welcomed six new full-time faculty members to the ranks for the 2025-26 academic year: Anushika Athauda, assistant professor of engineering; Cherelle Johnson, instructor of business and leadership; Yeimarie Lopez, assistant professor of social work; Elizabeth Miller-Derstine, assistant professor of visual and communication arts; Ann Schaeffer, associate professor of nursing; and Bryce Van Vleet, assistant professor of psychology. They are a friendly and impressive bunch!
#8 – Meet the new divisional deans
Our Q&A with the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences division, and Dr. Michael Horst, dean for the Health, Behavioral, and Natural Sciences division, was a popular read this year. The two divisional deans reflected on their paths at EMU, their new roles, and what excites them most about the future.
#9 – Rev. Dr. Shannon Dycus assumes role as EMU interim president
As Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus officially “took the baton” as EMU’s interim president on July 1, we ran this abridged version of the feature story that would later appear in the summer 2025 issue of Crossroads. The numbers speak for themselves: people love reading about President Dycus!
#10 – Students reflect on spring intercultural trip to Guatemala, Mexico
Joyce Beachy ’25, student marketing intern during the spring 2025 semester, interviewed several students about their intercultural trip to Guatemala and Mexico and compiled their experiences and photos into this spellbinding article. Learn more about EMU’s life-changing intercultural programs at emu.edu/intercultural.
Top Facebook post of 2025
No other post shared on the EMU Facebook page over the past year captured quite as much attention as the photos of the Aurora Borealis in November captured by Macson McGuigan ’17, visual media manager for marketing and communications. As of the publication of this story, the post has 1,300+ reactions, 65 comments, and 120 shares.
Top Instagram post of 2025
It may come as no surprise then that the most-liked Instagram post shared by the @easternmennoniteuniversity account was the same collection of photos of the northern lights. A total of 652 users liked the post.
Top YouTube video of 2025
The most viewed YouTube video uploaded by the Eastern Mennonite University account this year was this TV/streaming ad featuring EMU students. The video has been viewed more than 1,080 times since it was uploaded on Feb. 10.
We’re always looking for more stories that might make a future Top 10 post! If you have a story you’re excited to share, submit your idea to marketing@emu.edu.
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