Campus Update

Dear colleagues,

Shari and I thank you for the many well wishes, notes of affirmation, texts and calls we have received since I was named Messiah’s ninth president. We are very grateful for the impact of Messiah University on our lives, and we look forward to working alongside the Messiah community as we plan a path forward – confident in the Lord’s faithful provision and guidance. On a personal note, we do plan to sell our Dillsburg home this spring and move into Orchard Hill in July. During the past year we have found Orchard Hill to be a wonderful space for entertaining and enjoying many visitors – from employee groups, athletic teams and student clubs to campus speakers and other community members. In a season of transitions for the Stuckey family, June 4 will mark Shari’s last day at Hershey High School as she will be retiring after 39 years of teaching English. Shari is a teacher at her core – this has been her calling for as long as I have known her. However, the timing seemed right to give up the long hours of grading so that she can focus more time on Emma Opal, our granddaughter, and on Messiah students, who will now become her new source of joy – as high school students have been for all these many years.

As I shared in the formal announcement of my presidency, it is truly the honor of a lifetime to serve and lead at a place that has defined my vocational and personal faith journey for the past 26 years. The last several weeks have been full of meaningful “firsts” for me—including my first opportunity to preside over the undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies for Messiah’s Class of 2026. Shaking hands with each graduate and giving them their diploma as they crossed the stage was an incredible privilege and a powerful reminder of the impact these newest Messiah alumni are already making in church and society.

With the close of our spring semester, I want to thank you for your faithful, hard work and the numerous ways that you serve our students—and for how well I observe you supporting each other as colleagues on a daily basis. Summer looks very different for various members of our Messiah community. So whether you’re teaching, running camps and conferences, recruiting students, planning for the academic year ahead, or keeping the day-to-day of the University running smoothly—I urge you to make time to recharge, take vacation, and enjoy these warm summer months with family, friends, and the Lord’s presence whenever and wherever you can. We work hard as a Messiah community, and I pray rest and peace for you in the weeks ahead.

Now, in addition to highlights of the spring board of trustees meeting, I’d also like to share updates on enrollment, giving and other related campus news.

Highlights from the spring board meeting

Meeting overview

On Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1, Messiah’s board of trustees held their annual spring meeting on campus.

The board’s general session on Thursday focused on the progress of several key campus initiatives including a presentation by Emerson Powery, Philip Tan and Tim Captain, who provided leadership to developing a university-wide statement on Messiah’s approach to AI, and Laura Miller, who offered an overview of the practical ways we are currently implementing AI initiatives at Messiah.
Trustees were also updated on Messiah’s master planning process, led by Derck & Edson, Messiah’s campus planners, in collaboration with a university working group led by Kathie Shafer, which has been actively underway throughout the spring semester. Work to date includes a thorough review of Messiah’s previous master plan, identifying unfinished items that should be reconsidered—such as the Lottie Nelson Dining Hall kitchen and the most recent science master plan— as well as exploring new priorities. The goal is to develop a roadmap for campus facilities over the next 7–12 years that will also inform the next strategic plan. Next steps include prioritization of proposed master plan projects and developing cost assessments to determine their potential sequencing and feasibility. As more specifics begin to take shape, we will be communicating in more detail to the university community in the academic year ahead.
Amanda Coffey and Carla Gross, co-chairs of Messiah’s strategic planning process, presented to the board a summary of the University community’s campus feedback to the draft framework of Messiah’s next strategic plan, Messiah 2034, which was gathered across all university divisions earlier this spring. The presentation concluded with a timeline for the next steps in the strategic planning process, which was also presented to various campus groups during the past month, including Provost’s Cabinet, COE and Ranked Faculty leaders, and University Council.
Friday’s general session started with a service of dedication for Messiah’s new front entrance at the intersection of Lisburn and Grantham Roads—one of the last remaining projects from the University’s previous master plan. The board appreciatively celebrated this beautiful new entryway that reminds all who come here that Christ is Preeminent at Messiah University since its founding in 1909. (This also proved to be a very popular photo spot for our graduating seniors in the past few weeks!)

Committee actions

Friday’s session ended with a variety of key action and decision items from the board’s committees as listed below:

From the Committee on Assurance: The board approved the University’s Form 990 and Form 990-T returns as presented by the Committee.

From the Committee on Education: The board reviewed and approved term tenure and faculty promotions of COE members as presented based on the recommendation of the Term-Tenure and Promotion Committee, the provost and the president. The board also approved the employment of eight new faculty members as presented, effective Aug. 1, 2026.

From the Committee on Finance:

The board approved the FY27 Financial Plan as presented, and as approved by campus governance, permitting the Executive Committee of the Board, or the Committee on Finance, to take final action on the financial plan in October 2026 when enrollment information will be more complete, if necessary.

The board approved as presented the revised Targeted Asset Allocations for public equity and fixed income in the Policies and Guidelines for Endowment Investments.

From the Committee on Governance:

The board approved the appointment of the following individuals as a trustee in the class of 2030, effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030: First Term: Akash Desai and Kenneth Moreland Second Term: Joe Jones, Gary Langmuir and Linda Pheasant Third Term: Sherrie Bailey Emeritus: Barbara Moses

The board voted to approve the appointment of the following slate of officers of the board of trustees for a one-year term to be effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
- Vice Chair: Jessica Thomas
- Secretary: Joachim “Joe” Huerter
- Treasurer: Steve Myers
The board approved the conferral of emeritus trustee status upon Rick Jordan for meritorious service, effective July 1, 2026, based on the following recommendation:

The committee on governance recommends naming Mr. Richard Jordan a trustee emeritus of Messiah University after serving faithfully for more than 20 years. While a trustee, Rick served on the committees on advancement, finance and operations. He also lent his expertise to the investment subcommittee and a trustee-led Rider Musser Task Force. Together with his late wife, Sharon, Rick has made significant personal and financial contributions to advancing the mission of Messiah University. Of special note is the naming gift for Jordan Court when Rick served as co-chair of the Campaign for Wellness. They have been faithful ambassadors, prayer partners and significant benefactors for many years as evidenced by their selection to receive the Alumni Appreciation Award in 2022. Rick is devoted to Messiah Athletics and is often seen at sporting events across campus, cheering for the Falcons. Rick Jordan is a fitting candidate for emeritus trustee of Messiah University because of his ongoing generosity and unwavering support of Messiah’s mission.

Trustee and donor recognition

The spring board meeting provided meaningful opportunities to recognize the contributions of several of Messiah’s board members and friends of the University.

During Thursday’s donor recognition luncheon, we had the privilege of welcoming three new members to the President’s Circle Giving Society, those who have contributed $250,000 or more lifetime giving to Messiah:
- James and Sandra Katzman
- Ken and Kristyn Krutenat
- Esther Lenhert
We also welcomed Scott and Gaye Heintzelman as new members of the Messiah Trust Giving Society, those who have contributed $1 million or more lifetime giving to Messiah. Scott has often said that Messiah means more to you than you can articulate – but we, friends and family of Scott and Gaye, have benefited greatly from the many tangible ways that they have shown their deep love for Messiah University – and the One for whom we are named. I was honored to present them with a pitcher and basin, an acknowledgement of our Brethren in Christ heritage, commissioned for them and created by senior studio art major Ashley Dunkle.
Thursday’s luncheon also provided the special opportunity to present The Engle Service award to George and Barbara Parmer for their remarkable support to Messiah over the past 30 years. Named for former trustee J. Harold and his late wife Ruth Engle, the Engle Service Award honors meritorious and sacrificial service to the mission of Messiah University. George and Barbara have been Messiah parents, prayer warriors, donors and world-class ambassadors for our mission. Together they have made significant personal and financial contributions to advancing Messiah University, including the magnificent and world-class Parmer Hall venue in the High Center for Worship and Performing Arts. They are members of the Messiah Legacy Society, the highest level of philanthropic recognition, and in 2020 were named as the recipients of the Alumni Appreciation Award.
Thursday evening’s dinner on April 30 provided us with the opportunity to recognize and thank four valued trustees who have contributed so much to Messiah University – Barbara Avery, Linda Eremita, Garret Larsen and Jerry Wenger. It was particularly special to have extended family members present from the Avey and Wenger families, including 11 grandchildren.
- When I think of Barbara, I think of one after God’s own heart. Her numerous notes of encouragement, her prayerful support of Messiah, and her kindness have been such a blessing to us.
- When I think of Linda, I think of a triple-A rating; an aspirational goal for Messiah, but one that Linda has achieved time and time again during her long service to Messiah.
- When I think of Garret, I marvel at the amazing camp ministry he has developed in the beautiful rolling hills of north of Houston; and of that time I thought Kim Phipps might fall off the Gator as we tooled around the campground!
- And when I think of my fellow Ohioan, Jerry, I think of his unfailing encouragement not only on the Advancement Committee, but also to the entire campus community. I will miss his presence on that committee, in particular. Indeed, we will miss all of our retiring board members and the significant contributions they have made in the lives of our students and in advancing Messiah’s mission.

President’s Cabinet update

Messiah’s Board of Trustees also had the privilege on April 30 to recognize and celebrate the contributions of two retiring members of President’s Cabinet who have had made a tremendous impact on the Messiah University Community—Vice President of Finance and Planning Gary Nowicki and Vice President of Operations Kathie Shafer. With these pending retirements, and the current vacancy of my previous role as Vice President for Advancement, I realize there is understandable interest in the composition of President’s Cabinet leadership moving forward. These are critically important decisions, and I am in process of finalizing these plans. I am hopeful to share an announcement with the Messiah community within the next few weeks, and I invite your prayers as I seek to form a senior leadership team that will serve Messiah faithfully with wisdom and discernment in the years ahead.

Strategic planning update

As I shared at our all-employee in-service event in early February, Messiah’s board of trustees has tasked me with expeditiously drafting a new institutional strategic plan that will guide Messiah’s future in the years ahead. While in the past, the University community was invited to provide feedback at the “theme-team” stage to create specific action steps, as a new president, I felt that it would be effective and important to gather community feedback earlier in the process.

Accordingly, I drafted the framework for the board as requested during my interim presidency with input from President’s Cabinet, and then asked Amanda Coffey and Carla Gross to co-chair a process for gathering feedback from faculty, staff, administrators and student leaders. Each university division invited one individual to a Strategic Plan Steering Team who was then tasked with facilitating in-person feedback sessions across their division (see below). In total, 54 feedback sessions were conducted and documented using a templated format. In addition, every employee was given the opportunity to complete an online feedback survey.

Strategic Plan Steering Team:

Academic schools/departments/ support areas (Provost’s Office) – Kate Oswald Wilkins
Advancement – Carla Gross
Athletics – Sarah Gustin-Hamrock
Diversity Affairs – Cherisse Daniels-Rowe
Enrollment Management – Bethany Parliament-Chevalier
Finance and Planning – Gary Nowicki
Human Resources and Compliance – Amanda Coffey
Operations – Maranda Hogue
SGA – Kaleb Curtis
Student Success and Engagement –Jocelyn Chavous

Through the critical work of the Strategic Plan Steering Team, we gathered a high volume of feedback across all three academic schools, all cocurricular, administrative and operational divisions, and SGA leadership. The feedback was aggregated and shared with President’s Cabinet, Provost’s Cabinet (expanded to include the current and incoming chairs of the COE and ranked faculty), the Strategic Plan Steering Team and the Board of Trustees. Additionally, a timeline/next steps document was shared with all of these groups with an invitation to identify missing steps or assumptions.

President’s Cabinet is now in process of using this community input to revise the strategic planning framework prior to its further review by the board and to the start of our organization of university theme teams that will begin developing specific action steps this fall. Watch for the launch of a strategic planning website later this summer that will provide additional details on the planning process, timeline, next steps and opportunities for all employees to participate.

Presidential Inauguration

A presidential inauguration is an important milestone in the history of the University—celebrating God’s faithfulness to Messiah and a legacy of leadership through the last century and beyond. Shari and I are privileged to be a part of that story in the life of our institution and are very much looking forward to celebrating with Messiah University community. I have asked Karin Bisbee, Amanda Coffey and Carla Gross to co-chair the University’s Presidential Inauguration Committee on behalf of the Office of the President.

I am pleased to announce that the date of the inauguration ceremony has been set for Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. We are currently in process of inviting members to serve on the Presidential Inauguration Committee to help plan the events of that week, along with a few other celebratory events in the academic year that will include all of Messiah’s students, employees, alumni, parents, friends and community members. The inauguration committee will be launching a website later this summer that will communicate additional details and opportunities to participate.

Enrollment snapshot

Fall 2026 undergraduate enrollment

At this stage of the first-year student enrollment cycle, Messiah University has met both its application and acceptance goals, reflecting the strength of our recruitment efforts and sustained interest in the institution. These results, however, are unfolding within a broader national context that continues to shape enrollment trends. Higher education, Messiah included, is experiencing the effects of the enrollment cliff, with a declining number of high school graduates in many regions, including the Northeastern U.S. At the same time, prospective students are applying to more institutions on average, which has increased competition and makes yield slightly less predictable. These dynamics are evident in the current cycle. While application and acceptance volumes remain strong, yield remains the primary variable shaping the remainder of the cycle. Current deposit totals are behind this time last year but remain consistent with historical patterns prior to the FAFSA-impacted 2024 cycle. Taken together with IR projections, we are cautiously optimistic that these indicators position the University for a competitive but achievable finish near the enrollment goal and at the board- approved discount rate.

To support enrollment momentum, the admissions team continues to prioritize personalized engagement with admitted students and families, including final campus visits, targeted communications, connections with faculty and current students and proactive financial aid counseling.

May 14, 2026
	Fall 2026	% to goal	Goal	Fall 2025	3-year average
First-year Students
Applications	2,501	104%	2,415	2,420	2,388
Acceptances	2,039	105%	1,950	1,975	1,912
Active Deposits	575	98%	585	622	563
Domestic Students of Color (FY)
Applications	702	116%	604	715	664
Acceptances	539	110%	488	536	486
Active Deposits	127	87%	146	153	126
Fall Transfer Students
Applications	217	87%	250	199	199
Acceptances	124	69%	180	125	124
Active Deposits	43	57%	75	48	41

Other notable trends in undergraduate admissions include:

In partnership with the Office of Multicultural and International Student Programs, Undergraduate Admissions hosted three multicultural scholarship events in January and February, bringing 159 prospective students to campus, with an additional 26 completing virtual interviews. As of May 14, 132 scholarship recipients have deposited, representing a 64.1 percent yield, with another 40 students actively considering enrollment. These events continue to be a key lever in building a diverse and mission-aligned entering class.
We have 24 new and transfer international students deposited for the fall. We are thankful for the opportunity to travel again this year and meet students in their home countries. Sierra Kinslow travelled this fall in East and Southeast Asia, and this spring, our Southeast Asia Coordinator, Veronica Yap, will be representing Messiah at several school visits and college fairs in the region.
As of May 14, 262 students have been invited to join the Messiah University Honors Program for the fall of 2026, and 160 have submitted their enrollment deposit, yielding at 59.4 percent, which includes three fully vested employee dependents, 55 Faculty Scholarship ($1,500) recipients, 97 President’s Scholarship ($5,000) recipients, as well as five full-tuition Trustee’s Scholarship winners. An additional 39 students offered admission to the Honors Program have yet to submit a deposit or cancel their application. Notably, students who participated in Honors interviews continue to yield well overall, regardless of final admission to the program. There were 27 students who were interviewed and were not invited to join the program. Of those, 20 have deposited for a yield of 74 percent.
Transfer deposits are behind last year’s numbers (43 vs. 48), though applications are ahead of last year at this time and acceptances nearly even. Increased attention has been placed on incomplete applications to encourage the submission of outstanding application material.
Dual enrollment continues to grow at Messiah. Enrollment increased to 374 students in fall 2025 and 350 in spring 2026, compared to 332 and 278 respectively during the 2024–25 academic year. Registration for summer 2026 is underway and tracking ahead of last year’s pace. With more than 450 unduplicated dual enrollment students across fall and spring, we have 3,115.5 credit hours, exceeding our goal of 2,250 for the fiscal year. In partnership with the dean of education and common learning, we conducted a survey and focus groups to gather student feedback that will help us better serve this growing population.  Importantly, dual enrollment continues to function as a meaningful enrollment pipeline:
- Of the 376 seniors who took at least one course with Messiah while in high school, 98 (26%) of them will be enrolling here full-time this fall, which represents an all-time high.

- A total of 58 seniors participated in one of our “for Tomorrow” programs (Business Leaders, Educators, and Engineers) or the Emerging Health Professionals program, and 25 (43%) of them have paid a deposit for the fall.

- From our Pathway Partner schools, 26 students have paid a deposit for fall 2026, 18 (69%) of whom participated in dual enrollment with Messiah.

Graduate enrollment

A snapshot of graduate enrollment activity for the end of spring 2026 was taken on April 7, 2026. The below summary reflects end‑of‑spring and early‑summer registrations to date. The fiscal year reflected in this summary includes late summer, fall, spring and early summer registrations.

The 2025–26 fiscal year budgeted credit hour goal is 15,913. As of April 7, 2026, including early summer registration, total registered credit hours stand at 16,078.5, representing 101 percent of goal. When compared to the same point last year (April 8, 2025), graduate enrollment activity remains strong:

315 new students (89% to goal), compared to 304 (93% to goal) last year

908 unduplicated students (100% to goal), compared to 930 (101% to goal) last year

16,078.5 credit hours (101% to goal), compared to 15,586 (100% to goal) last year

Overall, graduate credit hours are slightly ahead of last year, while new student enrollment remains near goal and within expected variance across programs.

Giving update

FY26 giving: The sustained generosity of Messiah donors continues to inspire and encourage our community. We simply could not fulfill our mission without the support of our alumni, parents, trustees and friends. A strong end-of-calendar year push has Messiah very close to reaching end of its fiscal year fundraising goals. Total outright gifts combined with new pledges and planned gifts are on pace towards reaching an ambitious $9 million goal. These funds are critical for providing an exemplary educational experience for Messiah students.

FY26 as of May 12, 2026

Total outright gifts: $5.4 million (90% of $6 million goal)
New pledges plus bequest/planned gifts: $3.4 million (113% of $3 million goal)
Total giving: $8.8 million (98% of $9 million goal)

Giving Day update: We are grateful for a record-breaking Giving Day that surpassed the $200,000 goal, with $214,932 given by 779 donors!

Messiah Fund update: As of May 12, we are $175,000 away from reaching our June 30 $1 million Messiah Fund goal.

Scholarship Challenge: Our community continues to help make undergraduate study more affordable and available to students seeking a Messiah education. $200,000 of dollar-for-dollar match money remains to create new endowed scholarships or increase already existing ones—making us close to meeting this board of trustees $1.5 million Scholarship Matching Fund Challenge!

Summer facilities projects

Summer construction efforts center on completing upgrades to Houck Baseball Field and Parmer Family Softball Field. These projects represent the final phase funded by the Warmer Welcome Campaign, marking an important milestone in the overall master plan. It will be exciting to see these enhanced facilities come to life! Also, as part of planned replacement, the artificial turf at the Witmer Family Lacrosse Field is being replaced.
Several deferred maintenance projects are also scheduled on campus this summer. This type of work is essential for maintaining the long-term health and functionality of the University’s facilities. Major projects include fire alarm panel upgrades, repaving the Visitor and Old Main parking lots, repointing and repairing brickwork at Sollenberger Sports Center and upgrading lighting in Frey Hall with energy-efficient LED fixtures, some of which are supported by grant funding. In addition, various campus spaces will be painted and receive new flooring. Messiah University’s deferred maintenance fund plays a critical role in addressing priority needs, helping to prevent more significant issues over time and ensuring that campus facilities remain safe, functional and well-maintained.

Good news about Messiah

Here are some of the recent achievements and good news stories of members of the Messiah community. For more details visit messiah.edu/news and Messiah’s official Facebook page (the source sites for many of the below news items).

The NEXT Steps program, Messiah’s two-year residential program for students with intellectual disability, has accepted six students into their 2026-27 cohort with five actively deposited. The inaugural 2026 class recently served with Hope’s Haven Horse Rescue in Lancaster County helping care for animals who assist children dealing with conflict or trauma.
Messiah’s 26^th annual Service Day took place on April 9 with 49 service projects, involving 1,062 pre-registered volunteers (an increase of more than 300 participants from last year)!  Cumulatively, our university community completed 4,568 service hours! Thank you to all employees who served alongside students and colleagues on this day of demonstrating Messiah’s love for our neighbors.
Messiah’s Excel team, advised by Dwayne Safer, associate professor of finance, took first place at the Microsoft Excel College Championships regional competition! They now advance to the global championship in Las Vegas this December. Special recognition to Luke Peyton, who also claimed first place individually and then went on to win the Global College Excel Regional Winners Battle. This earned him a spot at the European Excel Open in Amsterdam on May 22-23. Congratulations to Luke and the team as they represent Messiah on the global stage!
Messiah students gave generously this semester to She’s Somebody’s Daughter, a local nonprofit dedicated to eradicating human trafficking and the exploitation of women. Social work students began purchasing granola bars with their unused dining dollars last year to donate to the organization. This act of kindness spread this year to other students, organized by students Savannah Schmidt and Grace Oglesby, who took the initiative to identify ways to serve their community With the help and support of Sharde Hardy in the Agape Center, donations of more than 400 granola bars and other nonperishable food items were still coming in strong during the last week of the semester.
Michael Zigarelli, professor of leadership and strategy, explores one of life’s most enduring questions in his newest book, “Evidence for Heaven: Near-Death Experiences and the Mounting Case for the Afterlife.” Drawing from thousands of near-death accounts worldwide, his research presents seven lines of evidence that point to life beyond the body. “Evidence for Heaven” was published this April by Baker Publishing Group.
Eric Rawson, professor of health, nutrition and exercise science, co-authored the American College of Sports Medicine’s newly released position stand on resistance training, a major publication that synthesizes findings from 137 systematic reviews involving more than 30,000 research participants. The widely anticipated paper marks the first update to ACSM’s resistance training guidance since 2009 and is already being featured through national conference presentations, educational resources and widespread media attention.

Messiah Athletics Highlights

Below are highlights of recent success and accomplishments of Messiah student athletes and the Division of Athletics. For more details, and to view schedules to come out to cheer on the Falcons at future athletic events, visit www.gomessiah.com.

Messiah Women’s Lacrosse made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 21-8 win over Worcester St. The Falcons finished the season with a 15-6 overall record.
Messiah Softball won their second-straight MAC Commonwealth Championship with two wins over York on May 2. The Falcons traveled to Swarthmore College in the NCAA Regionals, where they fell on May 15 to Muskingum University, 11-3, in the NCAA Regionals to end the 2026 season with a 29-17 overall record.
Messiah Baseball won the MAC Commonwealth Championship for the second-straight season with two wins over Widener University on May 8. The Falcons traveled to Shenandoah University for the NCAA Regionals, where on May 18, they defeated the seventh-ranked Hornets of Shenandoah University twice to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the second-straight season! Up next, the Falcons will take on the tenth-ranked Yellow Jackets of Baldwin Wallace next weekend in the NCAA Super Regionals.
Messiah Men’s Lacrosse earned the third-seed in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament after a 5-2 record in conference play. The Falcons finished the season with a 9-7 overall record after missing the postseason last season.
Messiah Men’s Track finished fourth in the MAC Championships. Nathan Bowman currently ranks second in the country in the shot put with a throw of 18.93m.
Messiah Women’s Track and Field finished eighth in the MAC Championships.
Messiah Men’s Volleyball advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. The Falcons finished the season with a 26-6 overall record. The Falcons earned three All-American honors, with Alex Kagoro earning National Player of the Year.

In closing

Throughout my role as interim and now president at Messiah, I am often reminded in smaller, day-to-day happenings about the transformational power of Messiah’s educational experience in the maturity of our students’ intellect, character and Christian faith. Take for example the below reflection by a student in Professor Brian Smith’s class this spring:

“What stays with me most is the reminder not to idolize the Bible but to see it as the means through which I encounter Jesus. This perspective keeps me grounded, ensuring that my faith is rooted in a relationship rather than in information alone. It also shapes how I communicate with others, emphasizing clarity, relevance, and a focus on what truly matters. I am learning to hold scholarship and faith together without letting either collapse into the other. I am learning that Scripture is most faithfully honored not when it is defended from every question, but when it is read with humility, attentiveness, and a willingness to let it point beyond itself. The Bible does not ask to be worshipped. It asks to be followed, all the way to the One it has always been telling us about.”

Thank you for the numerous everyday ways that you point our students and each other toward Jesus.

In gratitude,

Jon C. Stuckey

President