Kimberly D. Schmidt

Historian · Writer · Lyric Soprano · Gardener

Kimberly has her Ph.D. and is Professor of History Emerita at Eastern Mennonite University, where she directed the Washington Community Scholars’ Center in Washington, D.C., for 22 years. During her tenure, she revitalized the program, mentoring hundreds of students and guiding them through cross-cultural learning experiences that combined service, reflection, and real-world engagement. She also led historical walking tours of the capital, weaving together stories of architecture, murals, race, class, and faith in the city’s diverse neighborhoods.

Kimberly has published widely on topics related to Anabaptist and Mennonite women and the dynamics of gender in Mennonite communities. A trained opera singer, she brings creativity and voice to both her teaching and storytelling. When not writing or singing, she can be found lending both instruction and muscle to native gardening and reforestation projects in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is an active member of Hyattsville Mennonite Church.