Category: News Releases

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Events

CMU Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Spring Concerts

Choral music lovers and supporters of Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) are invited to celebrate CMU’s 10th anniversary at two spring concerts being held to commemorate the occasion.

Westminster United Church, one of Winnipeg’s heritage buildings, will host a concert on Saturday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m. The second concert will be held in Gretna, MB, at Mennonite Collegiate Institute’s (MCI) Buhler Hall, on Sunday, March 27, at 3:00 p.m.

“Since this is our 10th anniversary, we felt that we would do something special for both constituencies,” says Dylan Tarnowsky, Development Associate at CMU and event lead for the Westminster concert.

Both events, based on the theme “Hope, faith, life, love,” will feature four CMU choral ensembles—the 40-voice CMU Singers, the 20-voice CMU Chamber Choir, the 50-voice CMU Women’s Chorus, and the 30-voice CMU Men’s Chorus—as well as various solo instrumentalists.

“The concerts will highlight CMU’s choral tradition, not only of the last 10 years, but also the longstanding traditions of both Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) and Concord College/Mennonite Brethren Bible College (MBBC),” says Rudy Schellenberg, Associate Professor of Music and co-conductor of CMU’s choirs.

“Invigorating choral partnerships provided strong links between CMBC and Concord College/MBBC long before CMU was imagined, and helped paved the way for CMU,” adds Cheryl Pauls, Associate Professor of Piano and Music Theory. “The choral art continues to bring diverse voices together and to thrive in the CMU era.”

In honour of the anniversary, renowned Ontario composer Jeff Enns was commissioned to write a special celebratory piece for the CMU Singers and Chamber Choir to perform together. The piece, “What Does the Lord Require of You?,” is based on a Micah 6.8-themed text penned by California Mennonite writer/poet Jean Janzen.

The Westminster concert is a ticketed event; $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for students. Tickets are available at CMU’s reception desks, at the door, and online at www.cmu.ca/choralconcert.

“I’m looking forward to hearing our choirs sing in that magnificent space,” Tarnowsky says of the Westminster concert. “The acoustics are supposed to be incredible. This will be a ‘night on the town’ for Winnipeggers who love choral music to come and experience CMU through song.”

There is no admission charge for the MCI concert; however, there will be an opportunity to contribute to the work of CMU. This concert will also include some additional programming to include personal reflections and multimedia presentations related to the 10th anniversary, as well as refreshments.

“The MCI event is a time to bring CMU to Southern Manitoba, to reaffirm our connection with our supporters in this region of the province, and to celebrate how much we’ve achieved together in 10 years,” says Tarnowsky. “I think the event will be a wonderful blend of personal reflection, special music, and insight into all the innovations that CMU brings to the higher education ‘table’ in Manitoba.”

Schellenberg says a highlight of both concerts will be hearing and participating in a great variety of outstanding choral music, both new and familiar. “Singing together, whether in the congregation or the choir, is a profound participatory experience,” he says. “It unites us in a common purpose and faith in God that few other expressions can.”

For more information about CMU’s 10th anniversary spring concerts, please go to www.cmu.ca/choralconcert or call 487-3300 x607.

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Events

Refreshing Winds with Brian McLaren as keynote speaker

Refreshing Winds at Canadian Mennonite University

Brian McLaren, one of evangelical Christianity’s most popular and provocative voices, will be the keynote speaker at Canadian Mennonite University’s biennial music and worship conference this year.

The title “Here in this Place,” reflects the conference’s focus on worship within the context of place and culture.

“‘This place’ is many places, and any place on our planet, wherever people are open to being surprised by God’s presence. And wherever that place is, we are called to live our faith mindful of the culture in which we are located,” explains Abe Bergen, chair of the conference organizing committee.

“We were looking for someone who could help us think about our place in time, our place in the world in which we live, and we thought McLaren would be helpful,” says Irma Fast Dueck, who is also on the planning committee. “He’s done a lot of thinking on contemporary culture. He’s paying attention to a shifting worldview.”

McLaren is a hugely popular and at times controversial thinker, speaker and writer on the subjects of Christianity, culture and the emergent church. In 2005 Time magazine ranked McLaren among the 25 most influential evangelicals in America. Church leaders across Canada and the U.S. are reading McLaren’s latest book, A New Kind of Christianity (2009). In it McLaren discusses the ways in which he believes Christianity needs to change. McLaren’s previous books include A New Kind of Christian (2001) and A Generous Orthodoxy (2004).

CMU president Gerald Gerbrandt says he’s excited to hear what McLaren has to say. “I am very much looking forward to the conversation with Brian McLaren. His stimulating style has the potential to generate productive dialogue among followers of Jesus as they serve his mission,” says Gerbrandt.

A conference on worship and music would not be complete without the contributions of those skilled in the musical and visual arts. Steve Bell—a Juno-award-winning singer and songwriter who writes music for the purpose of worship within the context of his community at Saint Benedict’s Table in Winnipeg—will be performing and, together with McLaren, leading worship during plenary sessions.

Other gifted musicians, theologians and artists will also be contributing to the conference by leading worship, teaching workshops and creating works of visual art. Among them is Doug Gay from Scotland, along with Christine Longhurst, Allan Rudy Froese, Marilyn Houser Hamm, Jon Ted Wynne, along with CMU faculty members.

The plenary sessions will take place in a “tabernacle,” a portable tent of worship that travelled with the Israelites through the wilderness, and stories of the Israelite journey will be reflected on throughout the sessions. Participants will also have an opportunity to visually engage the Refreshing Winds theme of “Here in this Place” through an art exhibition organized by Ray Dirks in the Mennonite Heritage Gallery.

The conference begins on Thursday evening, February 3 and wraps on Saturday, February 5 with a communion service. Participants can register at www.cmu.ca. For more information contact Diane Hiebert at dhiebert@cmu.ca.

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

For information, contact:
Nadine Kampen CMU Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621

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News Releases

New Bachelor of Business Admin Co-op Degree

CMU logo
CMU logo

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is gearing up to add a new bachelor’s degree to its roster of recognized undergraduate degrees in the arts, music, and music therapy, along with its graduate degrees in theology and Christian ministry. The new Bachelor of Business Administration Co-op (BBA Co-op) will be accepting students for the fall 2011 semester.

“The BBA Co-op seeks to develop in students the ability to become effective business and organizational leaders,” says Gordon Matties, Dean of Humanities & Sciences. “The program grounds all students in the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the workplace, and provides them with ample opportunity to reflect constructively and critically in the process of shaping worldview and character in preparation for entering the marketplace of business and organizational leadership.”

The four-year BBA features a co-op component option, which will involve six terms of work placement in addition to eight academic terms. Students will be able to complete the degree, including the work terms, in five years.

“Through delivery of a co-op program with six work terms, CMU will be offering a distinctive and unique business program in Manitoba,” says Matties, who assisted with the program’s development and recommendation to CMU Senate.

“What is unique is the amount of co-op experience students will get,” adds Craig Martin, Assistant Professor of Business and Organizational Administration. CMU’s BBA Co-op will offer a higher work experience component than other business programs in the province.

“This gives students more time in an experiential learning context as well as a greater opportunity to gain work experience and to earn money to pay for their education,” says Matties.

The program is designed to help students think critically and communicate effectively as they draw on knowledge from a variety of fields and learn within small classes and with caring and accessible professors. Students will also respond to tough ethical decisions common in the marketplace as they explore ways to make the world a fairer, more just, place. Thus, the BBA Co-op program, offered within a Christian academic community, will provide both solid business training and integrate a focus on character formation, wisdom and conviction as students engage their world. “These commitments are relatively unique to the program,” says Martin, who was responsible for developing the BBA program structure and content. “We will be going beyond traditional courses in business ethics and legal regulation.”

The program will be headed by Martin, who also serves as program advisor to CMU’s existing three-year B.A. in Business and Organizational Administration

The addition of the BBA Co-op will also make it possible for CMU to offer a four-year B.A. in Business and Organization Administration, providing students with a non-co-op option for both the three- and four-year programs.

Matties adds that the three year and four year B.A. programs are especially appropriate for students who wish to do a business degree that includes a significantly higher component of liberal arts courses than the BBA program.

Matties says the seeds of the program go back to before the founding of CMU in 2000. “CMU supporters in the business community have been encouraging us for years to move in this direction,” he says. “We are now in a position to move to the next step in program development.”

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

For information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca;
Tel. 204.487.3300  Ext. 621

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Lectures

Winter Lectures Series with Romand Coles

For release January 12, 2011

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) students, staff, and faculty as well as members of the community will convene for CMU’s tenth-annual Winter Lectures Series, featuring guest lecturer Romand (Rom) Coles on the topic of political studies, January 25-26, 2011.

The CMU Winter Lectures, held annually each January and open to the public at no cost, seeks to highlight the arts, sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary studies at CMU and to foster dialogue between these disciplines and the Christian faith.

“The Winter Lectures are always one of the highlights of the school year for me,” says Chris Huebner, Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy and Chair of the Special Lectures Committee. “I especially enjoy the way the lectures strive to connect with some aspect of our common work at CMU while bringing that work into contact with new questions and conversation partners.

“We are extremely fortunate to have had such a distinguished roster of ‘Winter Lecturers’ over the years,” adds Huebner.

Guest lecturer Romand Coles, the Frances B. McAllister Endowed Chair and Director of Community, Culture, and Environment at Northern Arizona University (NAU), will present on “Resonance, Receptivity, and Radical Reformation.”

Coles came to NAU in July 2008 after teaching political theory for 20 years at North Carolina’s Duke University. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts, an M.A. in Political Science from Western Washington University (WWU), and a B.S. in Social Impact Assessment/Human Ecology from WWU’s Huxley College of Environmental Studies. Coles’ most recent publications include Beyond Gated Politics: Reflections for the Possibility of Democracy (2005) and (with Stanley Hauerwas) Christianity, Democracy, and the Radical Ordinary: Conversations between a Radical Democrat and a Christian (2007).

Coles will explore the themes of radical democracy, theology, philosophy, pedagogy, and grassroots community action as they relate to politics in his three lectures: “The Wild Peace (not) of John Howard Yoder” will delve into Yoder’s path-breaking work on non-violence; “Mirror Neurons, Receptive Resonance, and Radical Democracy” will focus on the perspective of neurobiological work and recent developments in the study of mirror neurons; and in “Radical Education Reform: Resonance and Engaged Pedagogical Practice,” Coles will present several examples of engaged pedagogical practices, drawing on his recent work in Northern Arizona.

“I’m excited about Romand coming here,” says Paul Dyck, Associate Professor of English and member of the Special Lectures Committee. “He is coming at things from outside the church, but at the same time, he is very interested in Christian thought and practice, so he is a particularly helpful dialogue partner for us.

“The Winter Lectures provide an opportunity for a broad range of speakers and topics, all engaged with the Christian gospel, but often in surprising ways,” Dyck continues. “This is what being a Christian university is all about, because lectures like this help the church to more deeply engage its task of being a gospel people.”

The Winter Lectures will be held at CMU’s Laudamus Auditorium at 500 Shaftesbury Blvd., with Coles’ first lecture taking place at 11:00 a.m. on January 25.

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

For information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca;
Tel. 204.487.3300  Ext. 621

Categories
General News News Releases

CMU Press Publishes Favoured among Women

A vibrant and unusual re-creation of one woman’s life.
For release January 6, 2011

CMU PRESS is pleased to announce the launch of its second novel, Favoured among Women, by Hedy Leonora Martens. The book will be launched at 8:00 pm, January 11th at McNally Robinson.

Favoured among Women is a biographical novel that tells the story of Greta Enns, who survived the traumatic events in Leninist and Stalinist Russia in the early 20th century while experiencing all the more ordinary joys and struggles of a child, young woman, wife and mother in close-knit Mennonite community.

The novel is the product of years of painstaking historical research and exhaustive interviews conducted with the protagonist, Greta Enns, and other members of the family. The result is a rich tapestry, bringing together historical commentary, original poetry, quotes from journals and letters, and Martens’ own personal reflections to tell a moving family history in a completely original way.
Hedy Martens is a marriage and family counsellor living in Winnipeg. The idea for her first novel began to take shape in 1983 when, upon hearing the dramatic stories told by her husband’s relatives about their experiences as Mennonites in Russia, it was suggested to her that these were stories that needed to be recorded and preserved for future generations.

This is CMU Press’s second novel, following the publication of Dora Dueck’s This Hidden Thing in May 2010.

FAVOURED AMONG WOMEN can be purchased at the CMU Bookstore 600 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg. Contact cmubookstore@cmu.ca; telephone 204.487.3300. The cost is $25.00. It can also be purchased through the Mennonite Publishing Network; visit http://www.mpn.net for details.

CMU PRESS is an academic publisher of scholarly, reference, and general interest books at Canadian Mennonite University. Books from CMU Press address and inform interests and issues vital to the university, its constituency, and society. Areas of specialization include Mennonite studies, and works that are church-oriented or theologically engaged.

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, offering undergraduate degrees in arts and science, business and organizational administration, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music and music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

For CMU PRESS information, contact:
Annalee Giesbrecht, CMU PRESS Project Manager
cmupress@cmu.ca
204.487.3300

For CMU information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, CMU Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca
Tel. 204.487.3300 Ext. 621

Categories
General News News Releases

Menno Simons College Celebrates 20th Anniversary

A respected leader in peace and conflict resolution and international development studies worldwide, CMU’s Menno Simons College (MSC) began its 3rd decade with expressions of gratitude and confidence at its 20th Anniversary Celebration.  This special event was held November 12, 2010 at the West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg.

Providing education flowing from Anabaptist Mennonite understandings of faith, peace, and justice while engaging other religious traditions and intellectual perspectives, MSC prepares students from diverse backgrounds for participation and leadership in local and global communities.

“The future is literally in our hands,” said Menno Simons College Dean Richard McCutcheon.  “I hold an image of a world in which resources and education are channelled for the benefit of all people, where political and social action is guided by the principles of nonviolence and restorative justice.  I believe we all have a role to play in holding an image of a better future. Menno Simons College can be a vessel for nurturing our images and helping to bring them to fruition.”

The 20th anniversary event began with a welcome reception at the West End Cultural Centre, with lively music provided by Papa Mombo.  The program, hosted by MSC Associate Vice-President Ruth Taronno, focused on the College’s journey and impact.

“We are very excited about reaching this milestone,” said Taronno.  “We have received excellent support and built solid relationships with many community organizations over the last 20 years. We appreciate this opportunity to reconnect with friends and alumni as we celebrate the unique culture and community of Menno Simons College!”

MSC was pleased to welcome 10 sponsor representatives to the event: IRCOM, MCIC, NEEDS Centre, MCC, LITE, John Howard Society, Mediation Services, Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council Inc., Choices Youth Program, and Project Peacemakers.

During the program, speakers reflected on their own experiences at MSC and how these continue to shape their lives.

“In one of my first spring classes, there was a student from South Africa, a student from North Africa, a student from Palestine, a student from Latin America and our Professor was from Bangladesh,” reflected 4th year Honours student Naomi Happychuk. “It really gave me a new understanding of interconnectedness, which I think is a core value here at Menno Simons College.”
The program included a concert by Canadian performers Keith and Renee. Keith Macpherson, a former student and Renee Lamoureux performed songs related to conflict resolution and international development. Through the Free the Children Foundation, they have travelled and performed for two summers in Kenya, Africa, and Dubai and have also performed in 150 schools across Canada, speaking to youth about positive change. They shared songs, images, video, and personal stories of how these experiences changed their lives.

In addition to a retrospective slide show on MSC’s first 20 years, the event included a future-oriented display – architectural plans illustrating major renovations scheduled for Spring 2012. Through a significant legacy gift from the David and Katherine Friesen Family Foundation, MSC purchased a 16,500-square-foot facility at 520 Portage Avenue.  Renovations to this space will create new and improved classrooms, student facilities, faculty and administrative offices, and spaces for meeting and dialogue.

For further information and reflections, refer to MSC Currents, Winter 2010.

Web posting January 28, 2011

Categories
General News News Releases

CSOP Invites Renowned Instructors to 2011 Summer Program

CSOP Names 11 Instructors, Announces Peacebuilding Courses
For release November 26, 2010

Now heading into its third year of operation, Canadian Mennonite University will hosts its Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP) summer program this June 6-24, offering international and local students the unique opportunity to study under renowned and revered members of the world peacekeeping community.

The 2011 CSOP program takes place in Winnipeg at CMU’s Shaftesbury campus and opens its doors to students expressing interest from diverse regions worldwide.

“We invite the peacebuilders of the world to gather in Winnipeg each June,” says CSOP Co-Director Jarem Sawatsky. “CSOP welcomes highly qualified instructors with diverse approaches to peace, development, and justice issues. We have 11 exceptional instructors committed to teaching as part of our 2011 program, all of whom are eager to share their perspectives and expertise with our students, who are professional peace practitioners and those with a personal interest in peace and justice issues.”

CSOP attracts peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups to its three-week program of intensive five-day courses for professional development and academic credit.

“CSOP brings together participants from diverse backgrounds who share a real interest in issues of peace and justice,” says Valerie Smith, co-director along with Sawatsky. “They have a chance to interact with each other and with some of the most significant emerging ideas and teachers in the field. This combination allows for significant and transformative interaction, both in and out of class.”

The 2011 course offerings include: models of grassroots peacebuilding in international contexts; a Cree Christian perspective on living in covenant; voluntary simplicity; peace and justice in Islam; using the arts to transform conflicts; interpersonal mediation; understanding the issues of violence; reflections on faith-based reconciliation; strategies for social change; and peacemaking and restorative justice.

“At CSOP, we aim to create a space where people from different backgrounds and perspectives can connect in positive and respectful ways. The CSOP community last year included pastors, teachers, peace practitioners, farmers, students, retirees, and a variety of faith and cultural groups. We hope this diversity will keep growing,” says Sawatsky.

Canadian Mennonite University, through Menno Simons College (CMU’s campus at The University of Winnipeg) and through its south Winnipeg Shaftesbury campus, offers one of the most comprehensive undergraduate program in peace and conflict studies in the world. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

For CSOP information, contact:
CSOP Co-Director Valerie Smith
csop@cmu.ca; Tel. 204.487.3300 Ext. 316
Canadian School of Peacebuilding at CMU
www.cmu.ca/csop

For CMU information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, CMU Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca; Tel. 204.487.3300 Ext. 621

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: click the links
Biographies – 2011 Instructors
Program Partners
Course Descriptions

Categories
General News News Releases

Hands-on Approach in Comm & Media Program

Introduces Student News Teams, Opens Dedicated Production Space
For release November 26, 2010

CMU student media news team, Laura Tait and Evelyn Kampen, report on campus events

One of CMU’s more recent initiatives is its Communications and Media program, which made significant strides this fall when CMU introduced a media workshop program and opened its newly renovated media production space.

“Offering a media workshop program, supported by dedicated production space, is a significant step forward,” says CMU’s Communications and Media Instructor David Balzer. “We can now offer the right combination of resources to help students develop a solid foundation through hands-on training.”

Students are formed into in-house “news teams” explains Balzer, which enables students to produce quality reports while also gaining rapidly in expertise and experience.

The students are supported in their course work through CMU’s new media production space, which houses several new Mac computers and a number of new cameras and digital audio recorders that are being harnessed for innovative course delivery.

“CMU’s communications and media program began eight years ago through the vision of Elmer Hildebrand, owner of Golden West Broadcasting and a strong supporter of CMU,” says CMU President Gerald Gerbrandt. “We’re grateful for his support and very pleased to have the program develop to this next level.”

“Elmer Hildebrand saw the CMU program as a means to develop skilled future communication and media practitioners who are also shaped by Christian faith and ethics,” says CMU Vice President External Terry Schellenberg.

Balzer, who produces CMU’s “Sunday at CMU” radio show as well as instructing courses, organized CMU’s internal launch of its new production space and media workshop program in October. The event attracted students, faculty, staff, and friends of CMU.

“This program lets CMU students build authentic portfolio pieces through their course work,” says Balzer. “Our students plan, write, produce, and handle post-production as they develop multi-media news products that are then utilized by CMU’s own communications and marketing department.”

“This program teaches valuable skills,” says Balzer, “while also providing a unique way for people to experience CMU university life through the lens and the stories of our student news teams. Yet, more importantly,” he says, “our vision and hope for this program is to equip and inspire students as creative storytellers in the broader community.”

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

For information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca;
Tel. 204.487.3300 Ext. 621

Categories
Events

Peace It Together Conference Returns

Performer Ted Swartz among key presenters at March 2011 event
For release November 25, 2010

Youth and their leaders from across Canada will gather at CMU in March 11 – 13, 2011 to discuss how each can bring their own “pieces of peace” to a world in need of healing, peace, and justice.

Peace it Together (PIT) was held for 31 consecutive years until last year. “It was time to step back and assess its future,” says Abe Bergen, director of Enrolment Services at CMU, who was centrally involved in the planning of PIT for the past 10 years. “After talking to stakeholders across Canada, the message was clear – CMU needs to continue to nurture a vision for peacemaking among the youth in Canada. This conference will invite high school students into a faith commitment to Jesus Christ and challenge them to grow a faith that embodies understanding, reconciliation, and service.”

“We are excited about the return of PIT and the increased opportunities for our own CMU students to be involved in this event.” says PIT Steering Committee Co-chair Lisa Kelly. “PIT offers a great opportunity for our youth to benefit from sessions with some really dynamic and creative presenters, both from within the CMU community and without, and we will all learn and grow from contributions from our youth as they reflect on the theme, ‘Pieces of Peace.’”

PIT takes place at CMU’s campus in south Winnipeg. The program will feature drama from Ted Swartz (www.tedandcompany.com ) and presentations by CMU speakers Adelia Neufeld Wiens, Dan Epp-Tiessen, and Jarem Sawatsky.

Actor, playwright, and storyteller, Ted Swartz has been enacting faith stories to audiences across the U.S. and Canada for over two decades. Swartz and the late Lee Eshleman, through their company Ted & Lee TheaterWorks, developed such plays as Armadillo Shorts, Fish-Eyes, Creation Chronicles, Live at Jacob’s Ladder and DoveTale . Swartz continues to write and perform plays with a number of artists. He brings humour and imagination to the re-telling of familiar faith stories. His presentations at PIT will include a drama called, “I’d Like to Buy an Enemy.”

Neufeld Wiens is the coordinator for student advising at CMU. Before coming to work at CMU, she served as a guidance counsellor in Nairobi, Kenya at Rosslyn Academy, a Christian International School run by three denominations.

In her time in Kenya, Neufeld Wiens learned that conflict is “interpersonal, cross-cultural, and interreligious.” Her presentation at PIT 2011 will draw on her interest in building bridges, both physical and metaphorical.

“I will speak about how relationships with each other help us to build peace,” says Neufeld Wiens.

PIT presenter Dan Epp-Tiessen also served overseas, serving in the Philippines with his family from 1982 to1986 through Mennonite Central Committee.

Epp-Tiessen, associate professor of Bible at CMU, will talk about how we can open ourselves personally to God’s healing and peace so that we can become part of God’s agenda for healing and peace in the larger world. He will draw on his experiences of being father to Tim, who lived with multiple disabilities and who died of cancer at the age of eight.

For Jarem Sawatsky, some of his earliest memories were at peace rallies, fasts, and protests, so he was “born into the peace movement,” he says.
Along with being a professor of Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies at CMU, Sawatsky is co-director of the Canadian School of Peacebuilding, a school of CMU. Sawatsky has extensive experience lecturing on restorative justice and on peacebuilding locally and overseas.

“I plan to discuss loving our enemies and the various contexts in which we’re called to do that,” says Sawatzky, who will speak on this in relation to his own personal journey and in relation to foreign policies.

The cost to participate* in PIT is $100 if registered by Jan. 31, 2011 and $125 if registered after Feb. 1, 2011. (* includes registration, food and lodging at CMU)

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) .
For PIT information, contact:
Lisa Kelly, PIT Steering Committee Co-chair, CMU Assistant Director of Enrolment
lkelly@cmu.ca; info@cmu.ca

For CMU information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca ; Tel. 204.487.3300 Ext. 621

Categories
General News News Releases

Students Raise over $4K for Foreign Aid

CMU logo

Ninety-two CMU students contributed to Pearson Challenge in support of education in Uganda
For release November 25, 2010

As a student body, Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) beat its goal of raising $4,000 for foreign aid through its 2010 Pearson Challenge by almost $300.

CMU Student Council kicked off its annual Pearson Challenge October 25, 2010, encouraging students to make a difference in the global community by personally donating 0.7% of their tuition costs to foreign aid. Students turned in their pledges in November, along with signed letters calling for action from the Canadian government regarding development assistance.

The Pearson Challenge at CMU has run each fall since 2005.

The campus challenge commemorates the 1969 Partners in Development commission report presented by Canada’s then Prime Mister, Nobel Prize winner Lester B. Pearson, to the World Bank. In the report, commission chair Pearson and members of the commission recommended that 0.7 per cent of a country’s income be donated for development assistance. Adopted by the UN General Assembly and by the Canadian government, this recommendation became the benchmark for foreign aid by developed countries.

“Forty-one years later, Canada is barely meeting half of that commitment each year,” says Erin Weaver, CMU’s Vice President (VP) of Student Relations on Student Council (CMUSC), who headed up the 2010 challenge.

“This year, it seems to have really taken off,” says Weaver. “We raised more money and had more student participation than ever before.”

Ninety-two CMU students participated, raising $4,278, compared to $2,600 raised in 2009.

That sum will be added to CMUSC’s matching fund of $2,500, for a total of $6,778.  The $6,778 total is only about $700 short of the $7,500 goal that represents 0.7% of total tuition paid at CMU for one academic year.

This money will be donated to the college’s event partner, Global Family’s “Hope Never Runs Dry.” This Mennonite Central Committee AIDS prevention outreach program allows children of AIDS-affected families in the Kamuli district of central Uganda to attend school.

“The fact that we, as an institution, almost met Pearson’s recommendation is amazing,” Weaver says. “We hope to get even more involvement and reach the 0.7% of total tuition goal next year.”

She adds that CMUSC’s dream is for the campaign to spread to other schools across Canada and notes that Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, ON) is already starting up an event inspired by CMU’s Pearson Challenge.

“Pearson Challenge is not just about raising money for a good cause,” says Weaver. “It’s about sending a challenge to the Canadian government to fulfill its promise and to show Canada that this level of generosity is possible, even for university students.

“As a Christian school that promotes values based on the life and teachings of Christ, CMU wants to take steps in making a more equitable world,” she continues. “Pearson Challenge is our way of taking those steps.”

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

For Pearson Challenge information, contact:
Erin Weaver, CMU Student Council
eweaver@cmu.ca

For CMU information, contact:
Nadine Kampen, Communications & Marketing Director
nkampen@cmu.ca
Tel. 204.487.3300  Ext. 621