Royal Women for EMU
MISSION STATEMENT: Royal Women inspire visible leadership, bold investments, and empowering networks to impact EMU’s
future.
Royal Women for EMU is a philanthropy and networking initiative launched in fall of 2023 intended to engage any interested students, alumni and friends of EMU in supporting its future and the impact of its women.
Royal Women provides an opportunity to build and expand connections with women and their allies and focuses on elevating women as philanthropists and leaders in their communities.
The initial goal for Royal Women for EMU is to raise $70,000 for student scholarships. $20,000 will be used for immediate
impact grants and $50,000 will go into an endowed scholarship fund to create lasting
impact for EMU students.
Last year's inductees
2025 Royal Women Inductees
1. Isabel Castillo Ressler, '07
2. Deirdre Longacre Smeltzer, '87
3. Sara Monger, posthumously, '23
4. Celeste Thomas
2024 Royal Women Inductees (Trailblazers)
1. Lois Bowman Kreider, '60
2. Julie Haushalter, '03, owner of White Oak Lavender Farm, one of the first female
campus pastors
3. Margaret "Peggy" Webb Christopher, posthumously, '54
4. Theda Good, '06
5. Noussaiba "Noussa" Garti, '25
2023 Royal Women Inductees (Women that were the First at EMU)
1. Susan Schultz Huxman, first female EMU president
2. Tynisha Willingham - Provost's Office, first African American Provost
3. Lee Snyder - First female chief academic leader
4. Esther Augsburger, '72, "first lady" emeriti
5. Hannah Mack Lapp, '66, "first lady" emeriti
6. Pat Swartzendruber, "first lady" emeriti
7. Sheryl Wyse, '68, first female Board chair
8. Beryl Brubaker, '64, first female vice president/ Provost emeriti
9. Dorothy Jean Weaver, '72, first full-time female faculty EMS, emeriti
10. Nancy Heisey, '94, first full-time female faculty in Bible & Religion, emeriti
11. Sara Wenger Shenk, '75, first female vice president & dean of EMS
12. Leymah Gbowee, '07 Graduate of EMU's CJP and '11 Nobel Peace Laureate
13. Mim Mumaw, '61, First EMU female coach
14. Kay Nussbaum, '78
15. Louise Otto Hostetter, '79
16. Shannon W. Dycus
17. Jackie Font Guzman
18. Carrie Bert, '97, first female athletic director
Upcoming Events
4th Annual Royal Women Soiree
Friday, September 18
6-8pm at White Oak Lavender Farm
2644 Cross Keys Rd, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
RSVP HERE
Advisory Committee Members
Alumni Representatives
Louise Otto Hostetter ’79 - Harrisonburg, Va.
Kay Nussbaum ’78 - Harrisonburg, Va.
EMU Staff
Deanna Reed - Director of Alumni Engagement and Community Connections and the Mayor of Harrisonburg,
Va.
Shea Jones-Mitchell - Advancement Coordinator
Rosa Miller '04 - Director of Advancement Operations & Stewardship
Cassie Guerrero - Advancement's Gift Receipting Coordinator
Nicole Litwiller '19, '20 - Advancement's Annual Giving & Donor Communications Specialist
Jennifer North Bauman - Executive Administrative Assistant for Student Life
Amy Springer Hartsell ’92 - Executive Advisor to the President
Give Now
Royal Women for EMU
