Canadian Mennonite
Volume 7, number 21
November 3, 2003

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Enrolment at EMU

Harrisonburg, Va.—Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) has 1,436 students this fall, the third highest enrolment in the school’s 86-year history. Last fall, EMU set an all-time high with 1,501 students. This fall’s entering class of 196 students is 57 percent Mennonite, up from 50 percent last year. More than half of the Mennonite students came from Mennonite schools. Eight countries contributed 12 new students to the first-year group. Eastern Mennonite Seminary reported a record enrolment of 131 students, 72 full-time, compared to 53 last fall. Another 16 students are participating in the seminary’s distance learning program.—From EMU release

Award-winning speech

Akron, Pa.— Zachary Kurtz of Eastern Mennonite University is the winner of the C. Henry Smith Oratorical Contest this year. The contest, open to college students, is administered by the Peace and Justice Ministries of Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Kurtz’ speech, “A taxing dilemma,” challenged Anabaptists to explore options for war tax resistance. Tim Nafziger of Goshen, Indiana, took second place with “It takes a college to raise an activist.” Third place went to Jeremy Schrag of Bethel College for “Rock n’ Roll Jesus,” a challenge to move beyond the dominant images of Jesus. One of the judges was Carol Penner, Minister of peace and justice with Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. The winning speech may be found at www.mcc.org/us/peaceandjustice/peace.html.—MCC U.S. release