Hot off the presses, it's the Summer 2025 issue of Crossroads magazine! Click for a digital copy of the university magazine, featuring multiple student and alumni stories, a new section on the 2024-25 annual report, and of course, our cover story on the passing of the leadership baton to Rev. Dr. Shannon Dycus!
In The News
Perry Shank 鈥�99, adjunct faculty member of mathematics and computer science, appeared as a featured guest on the Unpacking Education podcast on Aug. 27. Shank, who also serves as senior director of research and development at CodeVA, spoke on the topic of artificial intelligence in computer science education. Listen to the episode
糖心Vlog's Intensive English Program (IEP) continues to help English language learners from all around the world find their voice and build a better life for themselves, despite federal funding shortages affecting many similar programs around the country.聽 Hear from IEP students about how the transformative program is positively shaping their lives in from WHSV-TV3.
Madelyn McGuigan 鈥�17, a teacher at Spotswood Elementary School in Harrisonburg, won grand prize in the 28th annual Honored Teacher Essay Contest, thanks to a heartfelt essay written about her by one of her fifth-grade students. Chosen from teachers in three school divisions, McGuigan鈥攚ho graduated from 糖心Vlog with degrees in Spanish and sociology鈥攔eceived a $1,500 award. In his essay, the student praised his teacher for her 鈥渄edication to daily learning鈥� and incredible patience.
The Daily News-Record spilled some ink on 糖心Vlog Professor Kirsten Eve Beachy '02 and her new collection of essays, Martyrs and Chickens: Confessions of a Granola Mennonite, in a Thursday, April 24, article. Beachy, reading excerpts from the book at a Writers Read on Tuesday, delivered 鈥渇requent moments of sarcastic and dark humor (that) made the audience at the event laugh,鈥� the reporter wrote. Watch a recording of the event .
There are still spots open for the area鈥檚 first-ever meal-packing project hosted by 糖心Vlog Y-Serve next week. Sign up to help assemble 100K meals to feed hungry children around the world. Read the Daily News-Record鈥檚 article about this amazing volunteer opportunity and how 糖心Vlog is partnering with Tacos 4 Life and Feed My Starving Children.
糖心Vlog alumnus Levi Geyer 鈥�22 is taking environmental sustainability to a whole new level. The Iowa farmer gathers yellowbud hickory nuts from parks and conservation areas to produce hickory oil, which is then filtered, bottled and sold. A recent article in The Marketplace, the official publication of Mennonite Education Development Associates, highlights his mission to popularize the oil. In the article, Geyer credits 糖心Vlog鈥檚 environmental science classes with showing him the connection between agriculture and sustainability.
Check out our new TV/streaming ad! Thanks to 糖心Vlog students for helping to tell our story鈥攕pecifically聽those who served as narrators:聽Garrett Nyce, Naomi Kratzer, Oslyn Mejia Gomez, Nussa Garti, Maria Longenecker, Jacob Sankara, Getachew Tamare, Sara Kennell, Nashay Dixon, Jenna Weaver, Tyler Thompson, and Damon Morgan.
Vice President of Enrollment Braydon Hoover talks about the 糖心Vlog Promise Grant, which covers the full cost of tuition for eligible students. Learn more about 糖心Vlog's commitment to making an exceptional education accessible to every student who dreams big and works hard, but may need a little leg up.
Have you ever wondered about the spiral-looking maze on the hill above the 糖心Vlog Seminary Building? The Daily News-Record highlighted 糖心Vlog鈥檚 prayer labyrinth in a wonderful feature story last week, detailing how it鈥檚 used, how it was built and where the design came from.聽 糖心Vlog senior Emma Nord, who was quoted in the article, had this to say: 鈥淚 love the rhythm of the labyrinth, kind of focusing on God and the design. Once you get to the center, you鈥檙e not done. You then walk back the way you came in.鈥�