In a room packed with faculty, staff, guests, and students, Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) students on November 25 paid thanks to those who each year help to make higher education possible.<\/p>\n
In opening the University\u2019s annual Tuition Freedom Day celebrations, CMU Student Council (CMUSC) President Ben Borne noted: \u201cThis is a day where the students and all of CMU recognize the generous hearts of our donors, and say \u2018thank you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToday marks the day when we celebrate the fact that donors have provided a great contribution in order for us to continue our studies here at CMU, since our tuition fees do not cover the full costs of our education,\u201d said CMUSC Vice President, Activities, Belinda Morales, who chaired the event organizing committee.<\/p>\n
CMU President Gerald Gerbrandt noted that just over $13-million is spent annually under CMU\u2019s operating budget, of which about $10.3 million is related to academic costs. Of this total, he said, students themselves contribute roughly $4.6 million or 45% of costs. \u201cThe next largest portion of about $3.6 M, or 36%, comes from the Manitoba Government. More than $2.1-million is donation money, roughly $400,000 from conferences and congregations, and $1.7 from individuals who believe in CMU and contribute their money accordingly.<\/p>\n
Manitoba\u2019s Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy, the Honourable Erin Selby, brought greetings from the provincial government. Administrators, students, donors, and government \u2013 all contribute to sharing the costs of education, Selby noted. \u201cWe each do our part to sustain higher education, but today is the day that we recognize that, from this day forward, the operating costs come from other sources (than tuition).\u201d She congratulated CMU for preparing students to lead rich, full lives. \u201cWe know they will contribute to our society,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Speaking on behalf of supporting churches, Elton da Silva, executive director of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba, spoke to students about the church\u2019s reasons for investing in higher education at CMU. \u201cThere are great results that come out of having you being part of CMU, learning here, being equipped here. We will have better churches in the future because you have spent your time here.\u201d<\/p>\n
President Gerbrandt welcomed Katherine Wiens to speak on behalf of more than 1,800 individual donors who contribute to CMU each year.<\/p>\n
In his introduction, Gerbrandt commented on Katherine Wiens\u2019 long-standing connection to CMU, noting as well that her father was J.J. Thiessen, one of the people responsible for establishing one of CMU\u2019s founding colleges, Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC), in 1947.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father J.J. Thiessen was very involved in the college, giving counsel, time, and prayer support,\u201d she said, describing a time when \u201che went to a friendly manager of the bank and asked for a loan which he promptly gave to CMBC. He repaid that in monthly instalments,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n
Many members of their extended family benefited from the higher education they received at CMU and earlier founding institutions, said Wiens. The latest family member associated with CMU spent a year with the University\u2019s Outtatown discipleship school.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne does not support (an institution) only for what one\u2019s children will get, but also for those in the next generations as well. I see CMU as God\u2019s plan for our churches at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stephanie Heide expressed appreciation from the student body to CMU\u2019s donor groups. \u201cWithout the support of donors, the tuition we pay would be over double what it currently is. For a lot of us, that would mean not being able to continue our education. The support of donors makes a difference \u2013 a life-changing difference \u2013 by making quality education at an accredited Christian University possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe, the students of CMU, express our deep-felt thanks to those who have contributed to our education by helping to make it affordable. It is a huge gift to us,\u201d said Heide. \u201cThank you, donors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Released Dec. 2, 2011<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a room packed with faculty, staff, guests, and students, Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) students on November 25 paid thanks to those who each year help to make higher education possible. In opening the University\u2019s annual Tuition Freedom Day celebrations, CMU Student Council (CMUSC) President Ben Borne noted: \u201cThis is a day where the students […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2170,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[25,5],"tags":[174],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2169"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2169"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2171,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2169\/revisions\/2171"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}