{"id":56830,"date":"2024-05-09T15:58:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-09T19:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=56830"},"modified":"2024-05-09T16:05:34","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T20:05:34","slug":"emus-106th-commencement-celebrates-357-graduates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2024\/emus-106th-commencement-celebrates-357-graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"EMU’s 106th Commencement celebrates 357 graduates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eastern Mennonite University awarded 366 total degrees (with some students earning more than one degree) at its 106th annual Commencement on Sunday, May 5, 2024. The total included 207 undergraduate degrees, 88 master\u2019s degrees, 62 graduate certificates, five Eastern Mennonite Seminary degrees and four doctorates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 3,000 people were in attendance to recognize the graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out the 2024 Commencement photo gallery!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Business leader and philanthropist\u00a0Jose Koshy, class of \u201976<\/strong>, delivered the address on the power of agape love and kindness.\u00a0He shared three acts of kindness he received at EMC that have guided him in building a career, a business and a family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Koshy was an 18-year-old first-year student at EMC, his parents needed to leave Harrisonburg. He could not afford to live in the dorms and, \u201cknowing my situation, God sent Rachel and Robert Stoltzfus<\/strong> into my life.\u201d The couple lived near campus and took him in \u201cwith no questions asked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir home was small, but their hearts were big,\u201d Koshy said. \u201cThey gave so much from what little they had. They were rich in spirit and they were generous with it \u2014 true agape love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undergraduates Hebron Mekuria<\/strong> and Ariel Morales Bonilla<\/strong> and MA graduate Chidi Ihezuoh<\/strong> offered graduate perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery few things in this world are actually impossible,\u201d Mekuria told the graduates. \u201cMany things can be done. They can be hard, challenging and require lots and lots of work, but they can be done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a longer summary of the Commencement address from Koshy and the graduate perspectives, visit the post below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Power of agape love, kindness at heart of 106th Commencement address<\/a><\/blockquote>