I had no idea what I was doing when I found myself at EMU my first year. I knew I liked the valley, and the community, but as far as what to study—I looked at the list of majors available and crossed off everything that didn’t seem interesting to me. All that was left was … Continue reading From Harrisonburg to Denver—by way of the Middle East by Nate Bailey
Grad School Q & A: Larisa Zehr ’11 heads to law school after six years of peacebuilding work in Colombia
Larisa Zehr is a 2011 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University, where she majored in peacebuilding and development, and minored in pre-law, history and social sciences, and political studies. Since graduation, she has worked for the non-government organization (NGO) Sembrandopaz in Colombia – first with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), then directly as a staff member. She … Continue reading Grad School Q & A: Larisa Zehr ’11 heads to law school after six years of peacebuilding work in Colombia
Peace Fellowship: Campus Engagement with Native American Voices and Experiences by Gabby McMillon
Mainstream society highlights and centers various perspectives. In most cases, voices of dominant groups tend to be incorporated into the popular narrative, a narrative that influences people’s worldview and social reality. This creates a misguided and unbalanced narrative that leaves out the voices of marginalized groups. One group that is impacted by this is native … Continue reading Peace Fellowship: Campus Engagement with Native American Voices and Experiences by Gabby McMillon
Different Voices, Common Truth by Ben Rush
Academic department chapels at EMU are held each spring. They provide an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to worship in an intimate setting and meditate on their vocation and divine calling. These chapels are one of many ways for students to explore the Christian faith that is part of the core of EMU’s curriculum. … Continue reading Different Voices, Common Truth by Ben Rush
Hope in the Midst of Occupation by Adrienne Derstine
It has been nearly two months of traveling in the footsteps of Jesus, waking up to the Muslim call to prayer, and eating endless pita with hummus. I set out for the Middle East through the Cross-Cultural program at EMU with the intention of studying the Israel/Palestine conflict and to hear stories from all stakeholders. … Continue reading Hope in the Midst of Occupation by Adrienne Derstine
Take Back The Night Through The Eyes of a Peacebuilder by Ben Rush
The first full week of November EMU held their annual Take Back The Night week. This event’s purpose is to prevent sexual violence by educating, creating spaces to address the issue, and having conversations. This year, I had the opportunity to be involved in some of the planning. I ended up helping to plan an … Continue reading Take Back The Night Through The Eyes of a Peacebuilder by Ben Rush
After “Unite the Right”: a Nonviolent Direct Action Training at EMU by Anna Messer
Nation-wide fear, hostility, and anger peaked on August 11th and 12th 2017, when activists, including white supremacists and counter-protestors, violently clashed at the ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In part, the white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups came out to protest and rally against the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue, one of … Continue reading After “Unite the Right”: a Nonviolent Direct Action Training at EMU by Anna Messer
Grad School Q & A: Jessica Sarriot ’11, pursuing a master’s in public affairs at Princeton
Jessica Sarriot is a 2011 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), where she majored in peacebuilding and development with minors in pre-law and political studies. Since earning her bachelor’s degree, she has worked for Mennonite Central Committee in Colombia and the Industrial Areas Foundation in Arlington, Virginia. She also traveled to five countries to work on independent research about civil … Continue reading Grad School Q & A: Jessica Sarriot ’11, pursuing a master’s in public affairs at Princeton
Life Goes On: The Importance of Peacebuilding During Conflict by Kaitlin Heatwole
When I accepted a three-year contract as Mennonite Central Committee’s program coordinator for Iraq in fall 2013, I did not expect to be thrown into a conflict setting. At that time Iraq was relatively stable, with US troops withdrawn, sectarian violence in decline, and nothing big on the news. I envisioned applying my PXD degree … Continue reading Life Goes On: The Importance of Peacebuilding During Conflict by Kaitlin Heatwole