About the Cover

Illustration by Hannah Gerig Meyer ’08

Menno Simons, a Dutch Catholic priest who joined the Anabaptist movement in 1536, became the namesake for Mennonites — the faith tradition to which Goshen College connects. In 2025, Mennonites and other Anabaptists celebrate 500 years since the first believers gathered in secret, launching a renewal movement grounded in adult baptism, pacifism, discipleship and church-state separation. The cover features a visual rendering of some of Menno’s most famous and influential words. This anniversary invites reflection on how “true evangelical faith” is lived out at Goshen today — on campus, through alumni contributions and in a renewed vision for faith formation.

From the President

Awake, Our Souls!

By Rebecca J. Stoltzfus ’83, president

In her reflection, President Stoltzfus calls us to be courageous, fierce leaders and followers of Jesus. Centering around “active love for God and neighbor,” Stoltzfus draws on radical reformationist Ulrich Zwingli’s call to action: “For God’s sake… do something courageous — have the courage to love — actively, imaginatively, vulnerably.”

Features

LIVING TRUE EVANGELICAL FAITH

What does it mean to live out “true evangelical faith” today? Inspired by Menno Simons’ timeless words and in honor of the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism, this series of essays explores how Goshen College embodies this calling across campus and beyond.

Faith Behind and Beyond Bars

Robert Brenneman, professor of criminal justice and sociology and director of the honors program, explores the power within one course that criminal justice and restorative justice students take: “Inside-Out,” held within the Elkhart County Jail.

Tracing Faith through Time

Elizabeth Miller ’06, assistant professor of history and director of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism, reflects on how Menno Simons’ idea of “true evangelical faith” continues to evolve across global Anabaptist contexts, inspiring active inquiry, engagement and formation.

Harmony with Purpose

Scott Hochstetler ’97, professor of music, reflects on how Goshen College’s vibrant musical life embodies Menno Simons’ call to “true evangelical faith” through active, communal singing that expresses worship, solidarity and hope.

Where Faith Takes Root

Jen Shenk ’94, campus pastor, compares campus ministry to planting tulips, emphasizing how patient, faithful tending — through worship and community — nurtures unseen spiritual growth that ultimately blossoms into active, visible faith.

ORIENTED TO LOVE

In January 2025, President Rebecca Stoltzfus wrote a white paper offering a contemporary vision for faith formation at Goshen College. In this abbreviated summary, Stoltzfus gives reflections and recommendations on faith today.

500 YEARS, ONE FAITHFUL VOICE

In this essay series, hear from Goshen-connected scholars, artists and alumni whose voices helped shape the Anabaptist Community Bible, a communal project from MennoMedia created to mark 500 years of Anabaptism.

Rooted in Scripture, Shaped by Community

John D. Roth ’81, professor emeritus of history and general editor of the Anabaptist Community Bible shares how the Community Bible, shaped by scholars, artists, historians and nearly 600 lay study groups, reflects a core Anabaptist belief in reading and interpreting Scripture communally.

Reading Together, Living Forward

Amy Gingerich ’99, executive director of MennoMedia, recounts how the idea for the Anabaptist Community Bible emerged from a MennoMedia retreat and evolved into a global, collaborative project that invited Anabaptists to reflect on Scripture in community while connecting past tradition with present faith.

Scripture that Moves Us: A True Communal Endeavor

Breanna Nickel ’10, associate professor of Bible and religion, reflects on contributing to the Anabaptist Community Bible and finds inspiration in its communal approach to Scripture, which invites engagement, honest questions, and a renewed call to live out biblical faith in action.

Living Into Uncertainty with Attention

Rafael Barahona ’01, MennoMedia board member and brand designer, reflects on helping brand the Anabaptism at 500 initiative and celebrates its call to “look back and live forward,” emphasizing the importance of embracing both constancy and change as we engage faith in a global and evolving world.

Lasting Ties

“So small as to be ridiculous…”

Joe Springer ’80, curator emeritus, Mennonite Historical Library

In 1924, Harold and Elizabeth Bender returned from Germany with a vision to promote academic research at Goshen College, helping launch a reconstituted Mennonite Historical Society. Their efforts led to the founding of The Mennonite Quarterly Review in 1927, a scholarly journal that has fostered rigorous research and intellectual engagement for nearly a century.

Through a generous estate gift of $1.97 million from Dr. Geraldine Chan ’64, Goshen College has established the new endowed Geraldine Y. Chan Nursing Scholarship.

“We are deeply grateful to Dr. Chan for this gift and the significant impact it will have! Scholarships for nursing students are pivotal in students’ ability to be successful,” said Jewel Yoder, professor of nursing and director of the nursing program at Goshen College. “It can open doors to this profession for those who think that they could never afford a four-year nursing degree.”

The new scholarship coincides well with the opening of the college’s new state-of-the-art Center for Nursing and Public Health facility in 2025, supporting the potential for growing the number of students who can enroll and graduate from the programs.

Chan, who grew up in Hong Kong, graduated from Goshen College with a biology degree in 1964. She pursued dentistry at Indiana University and later became a successful dentist in New York City’s Chinatown.

Chan met several figures in Goshen who would have a lasting impact on her life — Viola Good ’39, international student advisor, and Robert and Donna Klein, Goshen residents who were especially invested in the college’s international students.

It was the sort of generosity modeled by these people that inspired Chan to give back to the community that had provided for her. “I became a better person by studying at Goshen,” she said in 1984. “I benefited from someone else’s generosity, and I know of no better way to say thank you … than by setting up a scholarship.”

Before her death in 2023, she had also established a scholarship for international students at Goshen College.

Goshen College President Rebecca Stoltzfus awarded the second annual Maple Leaf Awards for Employee Excellence to six employees during an end-of-the-year employee celebration on May 23.

The initiative recognizes and celebrates the outstanding contributions of employees, fostering a positive work culture and promoting excellence throughout the college community.

Each award — the Servant Leader Award, the Inclusive Community Builder Award and the Passionate Learner Award — was earned by one teaching faculty member and one staff, professional staff or administrative faculty member.

Passionate Learner Awards

The Passionate Learner Award recognizes employees who are always learning and applying fresh, innovative and creative approaches to their work. 

Staff/Administrative Faculty: Eric Bradley

Head librarian for the Mennonite Historical Library

Since joining the Mennonite Historical Library (MHL) in October, Bradley has embraced an enormous learning task — his nominator said that he absorbs information like a sponge. He has learned about the many different processes that go into the MHL’s collection, and has continued to discover uncatalogued items while carrying out his own research. Unafraid to ask questions, and insatiably curious about everything, Bradley continues to demonstrate care and compassion toward visitors and students.

Teaching Faculty: Breanna Nickel

Assistant professor of Bible and religion

In any given semester, Nickel has around 14% of the student body enrolled in her courses. But, despite instructing one of the most difficult teaching loads on campus, she uses a high-touch approach in her pedagogy, requiring one-on-one conversations with all of her students. When she is in her office, she is more likely than not to be engaged in conversation with a student. She is a faculty sponsor for the Muslim Student Association, and leads weekly Hebrew and Latin reading groups. Nickel is well respected within her field and maintains connections of mutual respect with a range of specialists, publishers and scholars.

Servant Leader Awards

The Servant Leader Award recognizes employees who go above and beyond to care for, support and help others in their work.

Staff/Administrative Faculty: Janine Ostergren

Administrative assistant for the education and Deaf studies department

Ostergren is the quiet force behind the smooth operation of the education and Deaf studies department. As the first face students and visitors often see, she offers kindness and patience while also supporting the department with her knowledge of licensure processes and accreditation data. Her colleagues praised her for juggling complex tasks with grace and humor, and for always making others feel welcome and supported. Ostergren’s steady presence and wholehearted commitment to service reflect the best of Goshen College’s mission.

Teaching Faculty: Andrew Hartzler

Professor of accounting

When it comes to his students, Hartzler goes above and beyond every day. He has spent time during the summer advising students, offered detailed feedback to students beyond expectations, and driven hours to ensure a student recovering from illness had a warm, comfortable space to heal. His generosity flows from a deep sense of love and faith, and he gives without fanfare, always seeking to build a stronger, more compassionate community around him. Hartzler is a true servant — one who does not seek validation, but who gives because making the community a better place impacts everyone in a positive way.

Inclusive Community Builder Awards

The Inclusive Community Builder Award recognizes employees who go above and beyond to foster a culture of belonging for all members of the Goshen College community, encouraging others to be their authentic selves. 

Staff/Administrative Faculty: Tyra Carver

Head coach of women’s basketball

Despite being newer to campus, Carver has already become a powerful advocate for inclusion and connection — on the court, in the classroom and across campus. She has mentored student-athletes and sponsored the Black Student Union, while simultaneously building faculty relationships and athletic engagement. Her engagement efforts have involved creative programs like “Pressure Makes Diamonds” and themed nights, and she is often seen outside of the Rec-Fit Center around campus. Carver leads with intention and heart, and her presence has strengthened the culture of belonging at Goshen, inspiring others to do the same.

Teaching Faculty: Jewel Lehman

Professor and department chair of kinesiology

Lehman maintains a service mindset when completing all her professional tasks, whether directly supporting students, envisioning program revisions or completing a tedious report. Last year, she took over coaching men’s volleyball while still chairing her department and teaching a heavy load. She also hosted an event for gay alumni during this year’s alumni weekend, and has served as the faculty member for the Advocates student group for three years. Lehman brings a global perspective to the kinesiology curriculum by helping students think about the intersections of culture, race, class, gender and sport.

This year’s awardees were selected from nominations by their peers. The teaching faculty nominations were reviewed by a committee led by Ann Vendrely, vice president for academic affairs, which included Susan Setiawan, associate professor of nursing, and prior winners and education professors Brooke Lemmon and Kathy Meyer Reimer. Marlene Penner, director of human resources, led the committee that recommended staff, professional staff and administrative faculty members. That committee included Brian Mast, director of facilities; Tina Neff, assistant director of human resources; and Daniel James, news and media manager.

Krysttal Ortega, a rising junior criminal justice and restorative justice major at Goshen College, will participate in the prestigious Roadmap Scholars Initiative at the University of Virginia this summer.

The goal of Roadmap Scholars, a three-week summer prep program for undergraduates with a pre-law focus, is to “expose participants to the law, law school and the legal profession, and to help them become competitive applicants to any of the nation’s top law schools.” It accepts roughly a dozen students every year from across the country.

Despite being on campus for just a three-week course, Ortega will work with the Roadmap Scholars for the next year and beyond. This summer, she will learn about the field of law through conversations, visits, courses and more, along with building her personal roadmap to law school. During her junior year, she will have the opportunity to be remotely mentored by students and alumni from the UVA Law program and receive a stipend for LSAT prep work.

The following summer, after spending another week in Charlottesville at an “application boot camp,” preparing her to apply for law school, she will have the opportunity to be placed in a legal internship in the private, public or nonprofit sector, while also receiving funds for travel, housing and stipends.

Ortega, who will head to Charlottesville at the end of May, said she is thrilled with the opportunity for a number of reasons.

“I was so happy to hear that I got in,” Ortega said. “When I first read about it, I knew I needed to take advantage of this opportunity and use it to my fullest advantage. I don’t come from a family of lawyers, so if I have an opportunity to build connections, then I should take it.”

Ortega, a first-generation college student, has a sister at Goshen College and two more siblings attending in the fall. She recently interned at Merino Law Firm in downtown Goshen, and applied to the program at the encouragement of her professor and adviser, Robert Brenneman.

“Rob told me,” she said, “that this was something I needed to practice applying for, to get in the habit of reaching for these things. He said, ‘You won’t get a yes every time,’ and that he had been rejected many times as well. And that helped me realize: the worst they can say is no.”

After she applied earlier in the year, she sat for an interview in March, before being accepted in the first week of April. Now, after Ortega returned from a May Term in Puerto Rico last Wednesday, she had a week to prepare before heading to Charlottesville on Thursday.

“I’m excited about the independence,” she said. “I’ll fly to Charlottesville on my own and will stay at their house [with other scholars] … I’m a commuter, so I’ve never really experienced that. It’ll give me a sense of what it’s like to be on your own — and then staying with other students.”

But, she said, she’s not the only one excited about the opportunity.

“My parents are both immigrants,” she said, “and they’ve never gotten the education that my sister and I are getting. They’re very supportive, and in a way they’re living through me — if I’m excited, they’re 10 times more excited!”

She continued, “It’s really meaningful to have these experiences and connections that Goshen provides, and to have people help you understand all the options you have. You don’t have to do it on your own.”

Dwight Gingerich, who has more than four decades of coaching and educational leadership experience and a track record of success, has been named as Goshen College’s new athletic director and head men’s basketball coach.

Gingerich, a member of the Iowa High School Basketball Hall of Fame who currently serves as head of school and head boys basketball coach at Hillcrest Academy in Kalona, Iowa (formerly named Iowa Mennonite School), will begin his new roles on July 1.

“I am thrilled that Dwight will join the Goshen College community in these important leadership roles,” said President Rebecca Stoltzfus. “Dwight is exceptionally qualified for this dual role, with a long and distinguished career that has demonstrated educational leadership and exceptionally competitive basketball coaching. He is fully committed to the student-athlete experience, creating a faith-based culture of excellence, and brings a combination of passion, composure and discipline. We look forward to welcoming him back to the Goshen community.”

Gingerich has been a leader in high school administration and athletics at Hillcrest Academy for almost all of his 40-plus-year career. He has been the head boys basketball coach at Hillcrest from 1981-2000 and then again from 2001-2025. His only gap was during a one-year leave of absence when he came to Goshen to serve as the interim head men’s basketball coach for the Maple Leafs in the 2000-01 season, and was named the conference co-coach of the year. With a career record of 759-239, Gingerich ranks fourth all-time in wins in the history of Iowa high school basketball coaches. He was an inductee into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. The last time one of his teams had a losing record was in 1996 and Hillcrest has honored him by naming the gymnasium after him.

Since 2018, Gingerich has served as the principal and head of school at Hillcrest. He was the athletic director at Hillcrest Academy from 1986-87 and again from 2011-19. He has also served as assistant administrator and school counselor during his tenure. Gingerich was the volleyball coach for 13 years and compiled a record of 345-101.

“It has been the honor of my life to serve at IMS, now Hillcrest Academy. I have been blessed with great teammates on our staff and amazing support from our school community,” Gingerich said. “And now, I’m truly excited for this new opportunity, and I look forward to how I can serve the Goshen College student-athletes and community as a leader and coach. I love to see a team come together selflessly, encourage one another and bring out the best in each other.”

While his teams haven’t always been characterized by their height, speed or athletic talent, Gingerich is known for maximizing every player’s individual strengths, uniting them and focusing on the power of the collective system. His basketball teams made it to the state tournament 12 times: winning the 1992 Iowa state championship game, being runner-ups four times and finishing third on another occasion. He has been recognized as coach of the year 26 times by coaching organizations in Iowa and twice by national organizations.

“Our family loved our time at Goshen and I am very grateful to President Stoltzfus and the search committee for this opportunity to return,” Gingerich said. “I am excited to lean into the college’s core values of Christ-centeredness, passionate learning, servant leadership, compassionate peacemaking and global citizenship, as we work together to grow Maple Leafs Athletics.”

Gingerich earned his bachelor’s degree in health/physical education from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a master’s degree in counselor education from the University of Iowa and an administration endorsement from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. He has served on the Board of Directors at Hesston College since 2017 and was previously a board member of the Iowa College Access Network Advisory Board and the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association. During his year working at Goshen College, he also served as an admissions counselor and physical education instructor. Eastern Mennonite University honored him as the Alumnus of the Year in 2010.

Gingerich is married to Mo Rhodes Gingerich, a 1986 Goshen College alumna. Their three young adult children, Michaela, Eli and Caleb, are also GC graduates.

The Maple Leafs compete in 16 varsity sports in the NAIA’s highly competitive Crossroads League and Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, continuing a tradition of intercollegiate athletics that dates to 1956 and included women’s competition nearly a decade before Title IX. For more information on GC athletics, visit GoLeafs.net and follow the Maple Leafs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @GCMapleLeafs.