Student Life Division Staff
The student life office is located on the second floor of the University Commons. General questions for the student life team can be submitted to studentlife@emu.edu.
Shannon Dycus - Vice President for Student Affairs, Equity, and Belonging
Shannon Dycus, most recently co-pastor of First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis,
Indiana, brings experience in the pastorate, higher education and K-12 education.
The Vice President is the senior student affairs representative at EMU, responsible
for the co-curricular aspects of learning and living on campus for all students. Student
Affairs includes the student life, athletics, and DEI teams that work collaboratively
towards student success and belonging.
shannon.dycus@emu.edu
(she/her)
Brian Martin Burkholder - University Chaplain, Director of Faith and Spiritual Life
University Chaplain, previously worked as a public school teacher, school counselor
and program director of Christian retreats, environmental education and outdoor ministries.
While studying at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Brian served as interim
campus pastor at Goshen (IN) College. He enjoys mentoring and encouraging young adults,
leading music and worship, and participating in spiritual retreats. He is energized
by chaplaincy, bluegrass and folk music, contra dancing, hiking in beautiful natural
settings, gardening and almost everything water-related.
brian.burkholder@emu.edu
(he/him)
(540) 432-4115
Celeste Thomas - Director of Multicultural Student Services
Celeste Thomas has a passion for helping students from a variety of backgrounds feel
included in the EMU campus community.
celeste.thomas@emu.edu
(she/her)
(540) 432-4458
Micah Shristi - Director of International Student Services
Micah Shristi works with international students in his role as International Admissions
Counselor and Co-director of International and Multicultural Student Services. He
served in Nepal with Mennonite Central Committee (2008-2012) and in Colombia with
Mennonite Mission Network (2003-2005). In his free time, Micah enjoys spending time
with his two young sons, solar energy projects, gardening and cycling.
micah.shristi@emu.edu
(he/him)
(540) 432-4459
Scott Eyre - Director for Campus Life
Before taking time away from work to be at home with his son, Scott was the Assistant
Director of Residence Life at Bridgewater College. Previously, Scott worked for eight
years in Residence Life, Student Accountability & Restorative Justice offices at EMU,
serving in multiple positions. His work with undergraduate students was centered around
helping them feel connected to EMU and finding a home on the campus. Scott also gave
oversight to the hiring and training of staff, and the design of residential curriculum,
while also working with students in response to conflict. Scott is also an accomplished
sports photographer, creating images for EMU, as well as James Madison University,
Villanova, North Carolina State and many other clients.
Scott is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University where he has an undergraduate
degree in photography, minoring in youth ministry and his graduate degree in interdisciplinary
studies, focussing on organizational leadership and restorative justice.
scott.eyre@emu.edu
(540) 432-4974
Jonathan Swartz - Dean of Students
Jonathan Swartz obtained his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Bethel College
(Mishawaka, IN), a Masters of Divinity (M.Div) degree from Eastern Mennonite Seminary
(2014) and a Masters in Conflict Transformation (MACT) degree from the Center for
Justice and Peacebuilding at EMU (2014). During seminary and graduate school studies
at EMU, Jonathan served as a Campus Ministries Intern and as Restorative Justice Facilitator/Assistant
Resident Director in Residence Life. Jonathan has served as EMU’s Restorative Justice
Coordinator with primary focus on student support and accountability. In 2014 he spent
a year researching the student conduct response system at EMU, which resulted in the
writing of the report: Student Conduct and Restorative Justice Assessment.
jonathan.swartz@emu.edu
(he/him)
(540) 432-4128
Venissa White - Program Director for Safer Together
Venissa works with students who experience sexual violence as the Program Director
for Safer Together; EMU's Sexual Assault Prevention initiative. As the previous Assistant
Director of the Rape Victim Advocacy Program at the University of Iowa, Venissa brings
a wealth of experience in leading victim centered programming and creating systems
that support student healing. Beyond working with students Venissa has a deep commitment
to rebuilding educational systems, policies, and procedures that impact students who
experience sexual violence, and have the potential to reduce and prevent sexual assault.
Venissa is a new Virginia resident and enjoys spending time with her five college
age daughters, baking, gardening, reading, writing, watching college football, and
being in the sunshine.
venissa.white@emu.edu
Nikki Dovel - Lead Counselor
(she/her)
Tyler Goss - Director of Student Engagement and Leadership Development
Tyler Goss organizes orientation, oversees student clubs and orgs, provides leadership
to campus "Engage Events," and supports the incredible work of our student leaders
in Common Grounds and Student Government Association. Previously, Tyler served in
EMU's Residence Life from 2016-2023 and organized campus-wide activities through Student
Programs from 2018-2023. He has a Master of Divinity from Eastern Mennonite Seminary
and a Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation from EMU's Center for Justice and
Peacebuilding. Tyler is passionate about creating spaces of belonging and can be found
on the ultimate frisbee field or on a run in his free time.
tyler.goss@emu.edu
(he/him)
Jennifer North Bauman - Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs
Jennifer has been working at EMU since 1992 in a variety of roles and departments
including Development and Church Relations, Admissions and most recently Alumni and
Parent Engagement. She is excited to be working more closely with students again and
facilitating the work of the Student Life Division.
In her spare time Jennifer enjoys taking advantage of what the Shenandoah Valley has
to offer through hiking, biking, camping as well as disc golf. She is married to Kendal
Bauman and has 2 children.
baumanj@emu.edu
(she, her)
