{"id":54355,"date":"2023-09-29T10:22:30","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T14:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=54355"},"modified":"2023-09-29T10:22:51","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T14:22:51","slug":"living-lives-of-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2023\/living-lives-of-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Living lives of service"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly \u201889 have long track record of volunteering, professional recognition <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is your calling? What is your personal mission? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions that, if contemplated, cause a person to pause, reflect and set goals. Clarity often reveals itself along the way. Those who have lived their lives guided by these two answers are morally richer for it; many trudge through life without realizing the importance of discovering their calling and mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly \u201889<\/strong> have long known it. Their calling is to develop relationships. Their mission is positively touching the people in their community as they learn and grow together. They have risen to the top of their fields while purposefully settling in Mississippi and investing themselves into the life of the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As selected by Eastern Mennonite University\u2019s<\/a> Alumni Association and its Awards and Nominations Committee, Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly \u201989 are co-winners of the 2023 Distinguished Service Award. Since 1984, the Distinguished Service Award has been given annually to recognize select alumni who have, in notable ways, demonstrated the Christian service and peacemaking emphases of EMU. The award is given to honor EMU alumni who have significantly impacted the lives of others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve reflected on how formative my experience at EMU has been in life guidance and direction,\u201d said Lisa Shelly, adding that she and Paul are both grateful for\u2014and humbled by\u2014the recognition. \u201cEMU introduced me to a broader worldview, challenged me to think deeper and consider multiple perspectives, and encouraged me to serve with awareness of opportunities to learn from other people.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With their hearts in the right place, the two got married and became public school teachers in Meridian, Mississippi, in 1989, their graduation year from EMU. Paul started a company that developed software for teachers\u2019 lesson plans and now focuses primarily on assessment software that helps teachers grow students. Educational Leadership Solutions<\/a>, co-founded in 2003 by Paul and fellow Royal Kevin Baer \u201890,<\/strong> has serviced nearly every school district in the state of Mississippi at one time or another over the past 20 years. ELS is currently used by more than 60% of the state, with forthcoming expansions in Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shellys have earned widespread recognition. In 2003, Paul earned his district\u2019s Administrator of the Year plaudits, and Lisa was awarded Administrator of the Year for Lauderdale County School District<\/a> in 2018. Within her first year of becoming one school\u2019s principal, that school improved from a \u201cD\u201d rating to an \u201cA\u201d rating for state testing; it is now upholding that \u201cA\u201d distinction under the helm of Lisa\u2019s sister, Anita Zendt Wansley \u201995.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe morale had been steadily deteriorating among the staff and students at this new school,\u201d Judy Mullet \u201873<\/strong><\/a>  said. \u201cLisa worked incredibly hard to listen to staff and create a comfortable and positive work environment again.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the Shellys\u2019 legacies don\u2019t end there; they extend through their children. Their son, Zachary, is a data analyst for the NBA\u2019s Sacramento Kings and their two daughters are EMU graduates. Abigail Shelly \u201820<\/strong> is carving out a path as an educator and high school cross-country and track coach in Washington, and Allison Shelly \u201822<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong> is a content writer for ELS and assistant triathlon coach at EMU for the 2023-24 season following a standout athletic career as a Royal. Both products of Mississippi public schools, the Shelly girls were campus leaders at EMU who live and invite multiple perspectives borne from their experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
From left to right: Lisa Zendt Shelly \u201889, Paul Shelly \u201889, Allison Shelly \u201822, Abigail Shelly \u201820, Zachary Shelly and his wife Maria.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur two daughters had \u2026 an amazing experience at EMU, where they were given opportunities to flourish,\u201d said Paul Shelly, who has volunteered for the past 15 years as a high school cross-country coach. \u201cThere were so many people at EMU, including professors, coaches, administrators, staff and friends, who played instrumental roles in who they have become. As a parent, I\u2019m very thankful for all those people who took an interest in our children and their development.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ohio native Paul and Lisa, from Pennsylvania, have grown by branching out of their comfort zones. Doing so far from their northern roots was a deliberate decision; they wanted to replant deep in southern soil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lisa Shelly said, \u201cWe had so much to learn about teaching in schools with a diverse cultural, low socioeconomic demographic. We had much to learn about being Northerners coming to the South with the many complexities of its history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Shelly added, \u201cThe appeal to stay was that we were able to flourish in our careers and in life because we had a church that became our family and a school system that gave us opportunities to lead, develop professionally and make a difference in the lives of our students. I came to Mississippi for an adventure and an opportunity to serve, but the people of Mississippi have given to me so much love, acceptance, grace and opportunity\u2014far more than I deserve and even before they knew me. And that\u2019s why Mississippi has become home.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shellys personify service\u2014from teaching in Mississippi and becoming school administrators to residing in an intentional community and supporting the growth and development of Jubilee Mennonite Church<\/a>, a small Mississippi congregation where Paul served for six years as junior high Sunday school teacher and Lisa headed up the pastoral search committee. (Paul counts a pipeline of at least nine young adults from Jubilee Mennonite who have gone on to become EMU students.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The couple has gone above and beyond, also volunteering as tutors, board members and coaches at Pine Lake Fellowship Camp<\/a>. The Shellys continuously plant seeds that will exponentially produce a more just and equitable future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the 1960s, Pine Lake Fellowship Camp has continued its ministry to many people of different races and backgrounds, and still today, the spirit of fellowship and reconciliation shines upon everyone who comes to camp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPaul has served on the board of Pine Lake for numerous years, and Lisa was very active in the Community of Hope tutoring program<\/a>, serving on the board and volunteering often,\u201d Mullet said. \u201cShe also served as Jubilee\u2019s ministry coordinator for about four years before going back into administration.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul and Lisa Shelly will be recognized on Saturday, Oct. 14 at the Opening Homecoming Celebration Breakfast in Yoder Arena. Following a morning worship service on Oct. 15, EMU also will host a luncheon in honor of the Shellys, 2023 Alumnus of the Year Andy Dula \u201891,<\/strong> and 2023 Outstanding Young Alum Basil Marin \u201810.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I reflect on my time at EMU and the years since then that have been spent in Mississippi, I think of the many people along the way who have invested so heavily in our lives and given us so much grace, wisdom, time, opportunity, and more,\u201d Paul Shelly concluded. \u201cAny service that we have done along the way pales in comparison to what people have poured into us.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly \u201889 have long track record of volunteering, professional recognition  What is your calling? What is your personal mission?  Questions that, if contemplated, cause a person ... read more about Living lives of service<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":292,"featured_media":54356,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[266,17562,60],"tags":[],"feature":[17427,17426,17241],"class_list":["post-54355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-digest","category-homecoming","feature-emu-home-page-feature","feature-myemu-feature","feature-news-feature"],"yoast_head":"\nLiving lives of service - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2023\/living-lives-of-service\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Living lives of service - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Paul and Lisa Zendt Shelly \u201889 have long track record of volunteering, professional recognition  What is your calling? 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