Celeste Thomas Archives

Sixth annual Donning of the Kente ceremony honors grads, their heritage and valued mentors

April 26, 2021Last updated October 5, 2021 by EMU communications

Last weekend, the Eastern Mennonite University community honored approximately 30 students at the sixth annual Donning of the Kente Ceremony. The ceremony, always the first of the Commencement events, recognizes

Community leader Stan Maclin connected EMU to local activism

January 17, 2021Last updated January 22, 2021 by Randi B. Hagi and Lauren Jefferson

Stan Maclin GC ’01 (ministry studies), the community organizer, pastor, educator, and tireless advocate for racial and social justice in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and beyond, died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2021, at

Black Student Alliance hosts dedication ceremony for Black Lives Matter mural

September 23, 2020Last updated September 30, 2020 by Lauren Jefferson

Forever. That’s how long senior Johnny Gabriel Prioleau III hopes the newest art at Eastern Mennonite University will last. Prioleau, along with fellow members of EMU’s Black Student Alliance, and

Twenty-two grads look forward to fall Donning of the Kente ceremony

April 29, 2020Last updated April 30, 2020 by Lauren Jefferson

The Donning of the Kente ceremony is traditionally the first event of Eastern Mennonite University’s Commencement ceremonies. This spring’s event, along with other graduation events, has been postponed until fall

Former NAACP president preaches Black history, past and present, is God’s movement among us and touches us all

February 26, 2020Last updated March 1, 2020 by Lauren Jefferson

It took a few years of persistence and many phone calls on the part of Eastern Mennonite University’s Director of Multicultural Services Celeste Thomas to bring The Rev. Dr. Cornell

MLK Day 2020 at EMU in photos

January 21, 2020Last updated August 25, 2020 by Moderator

Eastern Mennonite University’s MLK Day celebrations included service projects, lectures and workshops, a convocation, film showings and much more. Enjoy photos of highlighted events by Macson McGuigan, Kiana Childress and

MLK Day 2020 at EMU

January 13, 2020Last updated August 25, 2020 by EMU communications

Eastern Mennonite University will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 19-20, 2020, with a range of events on campus, in the Harrisonburg community, and in Washington, D.C. View all

Ribbon-cutting marks opening of ‘The Royal Treatment’ barbershop, salon and student lounge

January 22, 2019Last updated January 22, 2019 by Christopher Clymer Kurtz

Eastern Mennonite University celebrated the opening of its newest student lounge – “The Royal Treatment,” an informal barbershop and salon – during its observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Learning, service and inspiration to ‘break the silence’ during EMU’s multi-day MLK celebration

January 22, 2019Last updated January 22, 2019 by Lauren Jefferson

Nearly 28 events, including lectures, service projects and workshops, were scheduled for Eastern Mennonite University’s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, styled as a “day on” instead of a

New student lounge, ‘The Royal Treatment’ barbershop and salon, opens on MLK Day

January 16, 2019Last updated January 24, 2019 by Lauren Jefferson

On Friday afternoons and other days on demand, senior Mark Loving III opens an informal barbershop in his campus apartment at Eastern Mennonite University. Guys and a few girls, too,

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