Dr. Lapp was a young attorney with the law firm of Souder, Rosenberger and Bricker in Souderton, Pa., when he was appointed to the EMU Board of Trustees in 1974. Six years later he was elected board chair. Finally, after six years as board chair, Lapp was selected as EMU’s seventh president, succeeding Richard Detweiler.
The biggest changes that Lapp was responsible for as president were establishing graduate programs (in addition to the seminary) and changing the school’s name from Eastern Mennonite College & Seminary to Eastern Mennonite University.
After leaving the EMU presidency, Lapp joined the staff of Mennonite Foundation (now part of Everence) as director of its Harrisonburg office. He is also active in his church, Park View Mennonite, and serves on the board of MennoMedia.
