{"id":3249,"date":"2012-10-26T16:25:27","date_gmt":"2012-10-26T21:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/?p=3249"},"modified":"2012-10-26T16:32:36","modified_gmt":"2012-10-26T21:32:36","slug":"cmu-campaign-launches-at-5-5-million-to-goal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/2012\/cmu-campaign-launches-at-5-5-million-to-goal\/","title":{"rendered":"CONNECT Campaign Launches at $5.5 Million"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>October 26, 2012 \u2013 With the backing of friends and supporters of the Canadian Mennonite Community across Canada and throughout North America, the 13-year-old University in Manitoba is kicking off the public phase of a major $11-million capital campaign to construct a new Library and Learning Commons and \u00a0Pedestrian Bridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited to announce campaign progress to date of over $5.5-million in support of this Campaign,\u201d says Campaign Chair Elmer Hildebrand, C.E.O. of Golden West Broadcasting Co. Ltd. \u201cWith this level of support in hand, and with commitment anticipated from our extended community, we are confident that we<\/p>\n

can be successful in providing CMU with this essential and exciting resource.\u201d<\/p>\n

CMU presented project renderings, prepared by Manitoba design firm Friesen Tokar, in June 2012, sharing its vision for the project and opening conversation within the community. By August, CMU announced strong support achieved by the CMU \u201cfamily\u201d campaign (CONNECT Campaign executive, board and council, faculty, staff, etc.), with over $4-million in lead gifts to get the campaign underway.<\/p>\n

\u201cCanadian Mennonite University opened its doors to students in 2000, thanks to the bold collaboration and committed imagination of a great many people,\u201d says CMU President-elect Cheryl Pauls. \u201cSince then, CMU has sustained its vision, graduating women and men who are making a life-giving difference in church and society. The new Library and Learning Commons will help CMU achieve its primary task as a university \u2013 that of building understandings that engage both the world and one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt its core,\u201d says Pauls, \u201cthis library project is about a bold spirit and a transformation vision for CMU students, faculty, and the broader community. It draws attention to the vital support of church bodies, businesses, individuals, and government whose partnering and ongoing generosity enable this university to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marlene Janzen, Chair of the CMU Board and Council, notes that the Board is fully committed to backing a project that significantly enhances the learning experience at CMU. \u201cThis project will create wonderful spaces for students, faculty, and the community to connect,\u201d says Janzen.<\/p>\n

Supporting the campaign\u2019s fundraising efforts are a dedicated group of CONNECT Campaign volunteers, including Campaign Chair Elmer Hildebrand and Campaign Executive Members Art DeFehr, Philipp R. Ens, Bill Fast, Janice Filmon, Bert Friesen, Charles Loewen, Jake Rempel, and Tamara Roehr, supported by the University\u2019s Development team.<\/p>\n

Library Director Vic Froese is keen to offer the benefits of the new library to students and to the community. \u201cThe Library will be more than a building,\u201d says Froese. \u201cIt will be a place for people to study, collaborate, and research together. It will be a gathering place for meaningful conversation and learning. Well-designed surroundings make a real difference to the quality of learning and research.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Library will act as a learning commons at the heart and centre of CMU\u2019s Shaftesbury campus, offering high quality services, important resources, and spacious new study areas. The facility will include mezzanine study rooms and a commons meeting area and will house the University\u2019s substantial library collections, services, and technology. In addition, the new building will host a bookstore and resource centre and a vibrant caf\u00e9, providing the broader community with access to a fine array of resource materials and a forum for engaging dialogue.<\/p>\n

One highly visible part of the project is construction of a Pedestrian Bridge to span Grant Avenue, connecting the two sides of CMU\u2019s Shaftesbury campus and providing safe passage across the busy thoroughfare. The bridge will signal the presence of CMU as an institution that connects people to one another.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

News of the new capital project is generating excitement among students on campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Library will provide a wonderful learning space for residence and commuter students alike,\u201d says Jenna Dyck, 4th<\/sup>-year Psychology student from Ottawa, Ontario.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an important investment in our future,\u201d comments David Epp, History student from Rosthern, Saskatchewan.<\/p>\n

Danielle Bailey, 3rd<\/sup>-year Theology and Social Sciences student from Winnipeg, sees the Library not only as a place for research and study but also as an important space to connect with others. \u201cIt will strengthen the CMU community,\u201d says Bailey.<\/p>\n

For Campaign Chair Elmer Hildebrand, the motivating factor behind his commitment to the Campaign is clear. \u201cThis project will impact the future of our church by equipping young people to live out their faith and make a difference in a challenging world,\u201d says Hildebrand. \u201cSupport from volunteers and donors matters!\u201d<\/p>\n

A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, <\/em>Canadian Mennonite University, offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as two graduate degree programs. <\/em>CMU has over 1,600 students at its Shaftesbury Campus, 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

For Campaign information, contact:\u00a0<\/em>CMU Director of Development Abe Bergen | agbergen@cmu.ca<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FEATURES OF THE LIBRARY AND LEARNING COMMONS AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Library and Learning Commons<\/strong> will greatly enhance the CMU learning environment for students, faculty, and the general public.<\/p>\n