MERCERSBURG – Emily Parsons, Mercersburg Academy’s director of experiential education, has been named Volunteer of the Year by the Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce. A lifelong resident of Mercersburg and daughter of Academy alumnus Sonny Parsons (Class of 1959), Parsons has dedicated her career to enriching students’ lives and fostering community engagement.
“It’s very humbling to receive this award, but I also feel like it belongs to our students,” Parsons said. “Their enthusiasm and commitment to community engagement make everything possible.”
Parsons is instrumental in developing Mercersburg’s experiential education program—also called “ExEd”—and spearheading the Community Engagement for All initiative. This works to integrate community service into students’ daily Performance Group Activities.
“We’re working on getting all of our students into the community through their PGAs,” she explained. “I’ve been thrilled with our PGA leaders’ willingness to set aside time to engage with the community.”
As the director of experiential education, Parsons oversees community engagement, global programs, internship and Model UN. She highlights her goal: connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences. “By getting out of the classroom, we hope students can understand the world they’re stepping into,” she said.
A member of the Academy community for more than 24 years, Parsons has made extensive contributions to Mercersburg. She previously served as the dormitory dean in Fowle Hall and was the school’s first director of Springboard, one of two senior capstone offerings, teaching “The Global Food Chain” course for its first four years. She holds the Marilyn and Robert M. Kurtz ’52 Chair for American Studies and received the 2011–2012 Ammerman Distinguished Teaching Award for Religious and Interdisciplinary Studies. Recently, she completed a second master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Shippensburg University.
“I’m deeply grateful to our students and everyone who has helped build our program over the years,” Parsons said.
(Article contributed by Andrew Chang, class of 2026)
