Coming to EMU from an extremely liberal and secular northern Virginia community, I was unsure what to expect from a Mennonite-affiliated university.

At the time, my perceptions of the Mennonite faith closely aligned with what I understood of the Amish tradition—I knew Mennonites weren’t relegated to horse and buggy, but I assumed Mennonite theology and politics to be rather parochial and overwhelmingly conservative. Frankly, I was initially worried I would be indoctrinated into the “Christian university like no other,” a fear that derived from my own biases against Christian faith.

As I reflect on these fears that I had coming to EMU, I realize how much I have changed over the past four years.

My perceptions of what it means to be Mennonite have altered drastically; I can now see the wide scope of Mennonite thought and the regional and age-based discrepancies that define certain congregations and universities. I have aligned myself with the ideals of some of these groups—something I would not have believed if I was reading this four years ago. The social justice oriented “follow the ideals of Jesus” message EMU promotes has become quite appealing, and although I still don’t consider myself Mennonite, my ideals are easily reconciled with many who do.

My time at EMU was relatively short, but ultimately these four years have had an incredible impact on my life’s trajectory and purpose.

I know that the relationships I formed here and the experiences I had will remain with me forever, and I will always be happy to return to this obscure little Mennonite school in Virginia.