Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) is a private Mennonite university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The university also operates a satellite campus in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It hosts the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.
History Eastern Mennonite University was launched in 1917 as the "Eastern Mennonite School" by a group of Mennonite church members. Randall Herbert Balmer, Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition, Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 223 They recognized that their church-centered communities needed to offer schooling beyond the basic level for young-adult Mennonites.Donald Kraybill and C. Nelson Hostetter. Anabaptist World USA (2001), pp. 118–122 "(The World of Institutions" and "Education"); 129-132 ("The Great Transformation"). These church leaders sought to stem the tide toward enrolling in secular educational institutions.Hubert R. Pellman. Eastern Mennonite College, 1917-1967 – A History (1967), p.16. One of that founding group, Bishop George R. Brunk Sr., stated that "the world standard of education is self-centered, self-exalting, and materialistic." By contrast, he advocated a form of Christian education that "expands and develops the God-given powers both natural and spiritual, guides them [students] into channels of activity most conducive to God's glory and the blessing of mankind."Hubert R. Pellman. Eastern Mennonite College, 1917-1967 – A History (1967), p. 45.
Eastern Mennonite's first registrar, John Early Suter, believed that the university should offer secular academics in addition to Bible classes, and he was one of the first two such teachers.Kirk Shisler "Dr. Suter, Model Teacher" http://www.emu.edu/crossroads/summer08/suter The Suter Science Center was named in honor of J. Early Suter's son, Daniel Suter, who taught in the Biology department from 1948 to 1985. In 1947, the school began to offer bachelors degrees in subjects other than theology and changed its name for the first time, becoming "Eastern Mennonite College".
In 1948, EMU admitted a local African American student, becoming one of the first historically white colleges in the U.S. South to integrate prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.Bonnie Lofton. "Checkered Past, Colorful Present – EMU Leads Way to Diversity," Crossroads Magazine, Spring 2007, p. 7–10 (The University of Arkansas also admitted African American students, beginning in 1948.)"Early Integration," http://campusmaps.uark.edu/356.php . Retrieved 16 August 2010.
EMU served only members of the Mennonite church in the early and mid 1900s, but since then has educated thousands other than its original constituency of "Anabaptists," a broad term for Mennonites and kindred subscribers to the theology of Anabaptism.Harold S. Bender, Robert Friedmann and Walter Klaassen. "Anabaptism," Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (1990). www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/A533ME.html. Retrieved 12 August 2010. EMU and its seminary are affiliated with the Mennonite Education Agency of the Mennonite Church USA, as are five other higher education institutions in Kansas, Indiana and Ohio – Bethel College (Kansas), Goshen College, Bluffton University, Hesston College and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary."Overview of Mennonite Church USA higher education institutions." http://www.mennoniteeducation.org. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
In 1994, the college changed its name for a second time, becoming "Eastern Mennonite University". Praeger, American Universities and Colleges, 19th Edition [2 Volumes]: Nineteenth Edition, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 1375
In the last 20 years in particular, EMU has attracted people from all over the world and various faiths who are interested in the way it combines peace, social justice, simplicity and community.Bonnie Lofton (editor), "Muslims & Mennonites," Crossroads Magazine, Winter 2006-07, pp. 2–10.Bonnie Lofton (editor), "Alumni Contributions to New Nepal," Peacebuilder Magazine, Fall/Winter 2006, p. 19. EMU orients its students toward "experiential learning" (i.e. hands-on learning, connected to real-world work), "creation care" (environmental sustainability), and "cross-cultural engagement" (required of all undergraduates)."EMU Mission Statement". www.emu.edu/president/mission. Retrieved 4 August 2010."Eastern Mennonite University" and "The Templeton Honor Roll". Colleges that Encourage Character Development, edited by the John Templeton Foundation (1999), pp. 183, 279, 309.
Beliefs Marriage
The school's "Community Lifestyle Commitment" statement had been cited as reason for terminating the employment of faculty and staff members who were sexually active gay men or lesbians.Sue Blauch. "From the Inside Out," The Cost of Truth: Faith Stories of Mennonite and Brethren Leaders and Those Who Might Have Been (edited by Roberta Showalter Kreider, 2004), pp. 74–83. In 2004, then-President Loren Swartzendruber stated that the university's and Mennonite Church USA's policy was that "sexual relationships are reserved for a man and a woman in marriage" and applied equally to faculty members who are heterosexual. He noted that two heterosexual employees had also been let go after having extramarital sexual relationships.
However, in November 2013 EMU's Board of Trustees suspended the enforcement of its same-sex relationships policy and authorized Swartzendruber to lead a six-month study of whether or not to allow tenure-track faculty to pursue same-sex relationships without censure.
On 16 July 2015, EMU's board added "sexual orientation" to their non-discrimination policy, allowing for the hiring of faculty and staff involved in same-sex marriages.
This decision was criticized by member-universities of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), prompting EMU to leave the organization in September 2015.
Environmentalism It has environmental programs, such as low energy consumption, solar energy production, sustainable new construction, recycling, and composting efforts.Bonnie P. Lofton & Andrea S. Wenger. "EMU is national leader in energy efficiency," The Mennonite Magazine, 2 August 2007, www.themennonite.org. Retrieved 16 August 2010.Brooke Fansler. "EMU in top 20 percent of nation in recycling competition," www.emu.edu/news/index.php/1949/begreen. Retrieved 16 August 2010. Three residence halls meet the gold-level requirements of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
Academics As of 2010 EMU's undergraduate programs included 35 majors, 16 teacher education certification programs, 9 pre-professional programs such as pre-engineering and health sciences, and 4 associate degrees."Academics," www.emu.edu/academics/. Retrieved 9 August 2010. Both the Harrisonburg and Lancaster locations offer an Adult Degree Completion Program.Gabrielle Rice. "Eastern Mennonite University Adult Degree Completion Program - Quick View Inside," posted at Associated Content (Society) from Yahoo, 14 October 2009. www.associatedcontent.com/article/2278473/eastern_mennonite_university_adult.html?cat=4. Retrieved 17 August 2010.According to the fall 2009 Registrar's Report, 15% (165) of EMU's 1,075 undergraduates were in this program. http://www.emu.edu/registrar/reports/enrollment0910.pdf. Retrieved 29 July 2010. 98% of job-seeking graduate from the class of 2021 were employed within 12 months of graduation."Fast Facts" about EMU. http://www.emu.edu/about/facts/. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
Each year EMU offers high-achieving high school students the opportunity to be part of the university's honors program. Selected students can receive 50% to 100% tuition scholarships, renewable for each year of undergraduate study. They also receive mentoring from assigned faculty members and attend honors seminars and social gatherings together."Honors Program," www.emu.edu/academics/honors. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
Peace studies The university hosts the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) which includes a graduate program in conflict transformation.John Zmirak (editor). All-American Colleges – Top Schools for Conservatives, Old-Fashioned Liberals, and People of Faith (2006), p. 84. CJP has educated and trained more than 3,000 people from 124 countries."Sowing Seeds of Peace Worldwide". Peacebuilder Magazine, Spring/Summer 2009, pp. 2–3. CJP's founding director, John Paul Lederach, and its expert in restorative justice, Howard Zehr, are considered to be international leaders in the fields of peace and justice.Joan Fallon. "Peacebuilders Share Work and Wisdom with Apprentices Worldwide," . Retrieved 17 August 2010. For Howard Zehr, see his list of publications and honors at his Wikipedia entry.
Undergraduate admissions In 2024, EMU accepted 99.5% of undergraduate applicants, with admission standards considered elite, applicant competition considered very low, and with those enrolled having an average 3.7 high school GPA. The college does not require submission of standardized test scores, the university having a test blind policy. Those enrolled that submitted test scores had an average 1320 SAT score (3% submitting scores) or an average 29 ACT score (4% submitting scores).
Rankings
For 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked EMU tied for No.48 out of 135 Regional Universities South.
Cross-cultural study requirement EMU was one of the earliest colleges to require cross-cultural study of all undergraduates, with a university-sponsored program beginning in the 1970s."Cross-cultural program," www.emu.edu/crosscultural. Retrieved 9 August 2010. EMU recommends that its undergraduate students earn 15 semester hours of credit by living, studying and serving in cross-cultural settings."Future Programs," www.emu.edu/crosscultural/future-programs. Retrieved 10 August 2010. Nine cross-cultural credits are the minimum number required for graduation; these can be earned through in-class study and a summer stint of three to six weeks in a cross-cultural setting. Most undergraduates embark on semester-long, faculty-led, cross-cultural experiences, usually involving home stays in non-U.S. settings, such as Israel, Guatemala, South Africa, India, Spain and Morocco.Past Programs," www.emu.edu/crosscultural/past-programs. Retrieved 9 August 2010. But some students opt to satisfy the cross-cultural requirement by studying and interning in Washington, D.C., while living in EMU-owned housing supervised by faculty members."Washington Community Scholars' Center," www.emu.edu/wcsc. Retrieved 9 August 2010. Others choose individualized alternatives, such as a summer of studying business with an international manufacturer or 11 months of service with the SALT program of Mennonite Central Committee."Alternative Programs," www.emu.edu/crosscultural/alternative-programs. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
More than 75% of EMU's faculty members have lived in a cross-cultural context."Academics, www.emu.edu/academics. Retrieved 9 August 2010. The leaders of EMU-sponsored trips are drawn from the ranks of faculty and staff members who have had extensive experience in the settings to which they are leading students."Academics," www.emu.edu/academics. Retrieved 9 August 2010. Since 2001, three EMU faculty members have been Fulbright Scholars."Holsopple named Fulbright Scholar," www.emu.edu/news. Jerry Holsopple was a Fulbright Scholar in Lithuania, 2009-10; J. Mark Metzler Sawin a Fulbright Scholar in Croatia, 2008-09. Retrieved 9 August 2010.Lisa Schirch was a Fulbright scholar in Ghana and Kenya in 2002. www.fulbright.org/programs/annual-conference/2007. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
Seminary, graduate and summer programs