Friends, family and colleagues of Seminary President Emeritus Henry J. Schmidt gathered February 24 to dedicate a tulip tree and two rosebushes planted in honor of him and his wife, Elvera, when he retired as seminary president.

On September 13, 2002, Dr. Henry Schmidt announced his resignation as President of Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, effective June 15, 2003. Dr. Schmidt became the sixth president of the MBBS in Fresno, California in 1993, having served on the faculty of MBBS for a total of 34 years. Board of Directors' Chair Cal Bergen says, "It is with profound regret that we accept Dr. Schmidt's resignation. He has been a strong leader over the past decade, and has reshaped the seminary, bringing it closer spatially and philosophically to our constituencies.