25 Years, 25 Stories 

From student to teacher: A journey of faith, learning, and community

Kenny Wollmann is a high school educator, teaching primarily Bible, theology, and world religions—but not in a typical classroom.

Rigour, curiosity, and the arts: A CMU story of leadership

CMU was a place of transition, community, and discovery for Evan Klassen, Executive Director of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (MTC).

From peacebuilding to conservation: A CMU alum’s journey of justice, community, and care for creation

Aaron Janzen knows being an environmentalist is as much about working with people as it is with the land.

Stitching together community and sustainability

Anna-Marie Janzen's earliest childhood memory is sewing.

She recalls sitting on the kitchen floor with her grandmother, playing with giant, oversized plastic needles and shaped cards as her grandma taught her the fundamentals of stitching and threading.

Through the lens: How CMU helped an Indigenous storyteller find her voice

Gindalee Ouskun points to the great paradox in her life—she is shy and introverted, yet her work is public-facing and relational.

Advancing reconciliation through storytelling

"I have always been a storyteller," says Ben Borne over a Zoom call from his home in Saskatoon, SK. "And what I'm really good at is bringing people together."

From newcomer to community-builder: A CMU alum’s journey of purpose, justice, and leadership

When Gode Katembo thinks about his time at CMU, he doesn't just remember classes and assignments. What stands out is how the experience reshaped his sense of direction.

From martyrology to herpetology: A CMU alum's global journey of curiosity, community, and conservation

A few days after graduating from CMU in 2025, Tai Linklater was in an airplane on the way to the Netherlands.

Finding connection as an outsider: How CMU shaped a public servant

Marvin Marcial didn't mean to become a CMU student. What was initially supposed to be one music elective as a visiting student from the University of Winnipeg turned him into a full-time student who ended up graduating from CMU with a Bachelor of Music in 2007.

Notes, nursing, and new horizons: A journey of learning and service

When Heidi Derksen meets for a conversation in the mid-afternoon, she's wrapping up her day and going to sleep after the interview ends.

Education, performance, and healing: How CMU shaped a multifaceted musician

Heitha Forsyth decided to go back to school almost a decade after graduating with her undergraduate degree.

From courtroom dreams to restorative justice: A journey in conflict transformation

Odelia Duffus wanted to become a lawyer after she graduated high school in Jamaica. Many years later, she's liaising with the court—but not in the role she expected.

From engineering to pastoral leadership: The impact of theological study

When Everton McLennon stepped onto CMU's campus for the first time, he was not like the majority of students.

Relational learning, lasting impact: Carrying the spirit of CMU into education

Heather Schellenberg was thrilled when she found out about CMU's new education degree program.

Conviction in the courtroom: How CMU prepared a future prosecutor

These days, you'll find Nathan Dueck in Thompson, MB, arguing bail conditions, speaking to sentences, and prepping for his first trials. It's a serious role, but he admits law school itself wasn't quite as grueling as people imagine.

Responding to Crisis with Compassion: How CMU Shaped a Global Leader

When a humanitarian disaster makes headlines, some people read about it while drinking their coffee or share it on social media during their bus ride.

Faith in Practice: How CMU Inspires Community-Centred Leadership

For Kyle Penner, CMU was where he learned how to think about faith, community, and leadership in ways that continue to shape his life today. "My time at CMU helped shape who I am and how I think in the world," he says.

Rooted in gaith, growing through ecology: A CMU alum's path of environmental leadership

Sometimes the most pivotal moments are only possible because of the communities we've already been part of. For Joanne Moyer, that moment came at an airport.

Research, art, and advocacy: Threads that began at CMU

This September, Jess Klassen co-created an art installation at Nuit Blanche, a night of art, music, and festivities that lights up Winnipeg's downtown.

From student council to corporate communications: A CMU alum’s journey of curiosity, community, and connection

Zachary Peters came to CMU for adventure.

In 2005, Peters joined CMU's Outtatown Discipleship School, a program that enabled students to experience travel through a mission trip while still keeping up with their studies.

From basketball star to keeper of stories: CMU alum brings Mennonite history to life

Andrew Klassen Brown makes working in archives sound as exciting as an experimental jet test pilot.

CMU taught alum how to think "inside out and upside down"

The current Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Winnipeg came to CMU from Providence University College, by way of the University of Manitoba, where he initially planned to become a dentist.