{"id":5035,"date":"2015-04-29T14:58:44","date_gmt":"2015-04-29T19:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/?p=5035"},"modified":"2015-04-29T14:58:44","modified_gmt":"2015-04-29T19:58:44","slug":"canadian-mennonite-university-celebrates-class-of-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/2015\/canadian-mennonite-university-celebrates-class-of-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadian Mennonite University Celebrates Class of 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eighty-seven degrees, two certificates awarded during university\u2019s annual commencement exercises<\/i><\/span><\/h3>\n

When Joseph Kiranto moved from Kenya to study at Canadian Mennonite University, he wasn\u2019t sure what he wanted to major in. Each class he attended piqued his interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore long, the list of what I wanted to do became unrealistic for me,\u201d Kiranto said. \u201cI wouldn’t have known what to do with myself if it were not for the help of\u2026 the faculty and staff.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_9380\"
Joseph Kiranto, CMU’s Class of 2015 Valedictorian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kiranto told the story during his valedictory address at CMU\u2019s graduation service, held on Sunday afternoon, April 26 at Immanuel Pentecostal Church. Kiranto (BA, Four-Year, Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies) was one of 89 students who graduated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Referencing the Class of 2015\u2019s graduation verse, James 3:17-18, Kiranto encouraged his fellow graduates to do the best they can in spite of the obstacles they might face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere at CMU we have been challenged, we have been encouraged, we have been empowered, and we have been motivated,\u201d Kiranto said. \u201cI will do the best I can. Will you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was an inspiring message delivered toward the end of a weekend filled with reflection, laughter, and tears as graduates and families enjoyed stories, songs, presentations, and meals along with CMU faculty, staff, and current students.<\/span><\/p>\n

The graduation service culminated with CMU President Dr. Cheryl Pauls conferring 78 undergraduate degrees, nine Master of Arts degrees, and two graduate certificates in Christian Studies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith credentials, we honour the credibility of the tangible skills, transferable competencies, vibrant imaginations, and responsive hearts of the graduands,\u201d Pauls said. \u201cWe also profess trust in their capacity and commitment to be agents of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"CMU
CMU President Cheryl Pauls (centre) with President Medal winners Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (left) and Michael Wiebe (right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pauls awarded President\u2019s Medals to Mike Wiebe (BA, Four-Year, Communications and Media) and Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (BMus, Concentration: Performance \u2013 Collaborative Piano) in recognition of their qualities of scholarship, leadership, and service.<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier in the service, Rev. Dr. Hippolyto Tshimanga, a theologian and missiologist who works as the director of Mennonite Church Canada\u2019s Africa, Europe, and Latin America Ministry, delivered the graduation address.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tshimanga challenged graduates to face the obstacles they encounter with bravery.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBelieve in your God-given potential, believe in the education that you have received, and keep on moving,\u201d Tshimanga said. \u201cWhat you should have is unshakeable, unshakeable belief in what you are able to accomplish. Have the courage to act on your belief.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At With Gratitude, a CMU graduation weekend event at which class members share their experiences through spoken word or musical performance, Clare Schellenberg (BA, Four-Year,\u00a0Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies)\u00a0reflected on her time at CMU, which included an independent study course that involved hiking the Camino de Santiago, an 800-kilometre pilgrimage route in Spain.<\/span><\/p>\n

Schellenberg said that her time at CMU altered her understanding of peace and justice, and highlighted for her the importance of relationships in navigating the conflicts people face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am leaving with an imagination to reach out to those I fear, to touch the heart of complexity, to imagine beyond what is seen, to risk vulnerability one step at a time, and to open my mind and heart as big as an ocean,\u201d Schellenberg said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_9204\"<\/a>
CMU’s class of 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking at the same event, Kathy McCamis (Master of Arts, Theological Studies) reflected on how the costs of doing a graduate degree seemed high when she resigned from her position as a youth pastor to pursue full-time ministry studies at CMU.<\/span><\/p>\n

McCamis, who was one of four graduates who earned their MA from CMU in affiliation with Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, also realized she was studying for her MA at a time when many people question the value of a seminary education.<\/span><\/p>\n

McCamis does not regret her decision, though.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI graduate having been formed as a person who is growing in my ability to love God and to love my neighbour, as well as to love myself,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat to me is the greatest gift of seminary education, and that is worth infinitely more to me than any of the costs that I\u2019ve incurred along the way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Graduation Service and With Gratitude presentation were part of a number of events that occurred during graduation weekend, including a gala dinner on Friday, April 24, Spring Concert on Saturday, April 25, and Baccalaureate Service the morning of April 26.<\/span><\/p>\n

The entire 2015 graduation service is available for viewing on CMU’s Youtube channel. (link<\/em><\/a>)<\/p>\n

About CMU
\n<\/strong>A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU\u2019s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as\u00a0graduate degrees in theology,\u00a0ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over about 900 full-time equivalent\u00a0students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.<\/em><\/p>\n

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

For additional information, please contact:
\nKevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
\nkkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
\nCanadian Mennonite University
\n500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB\u00a0 R3P 2N2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eighty-seven degrees, two certificates awarded during university\u2019s annual commencement exercises When Joseph Kiranto moved from Kenya to study at Canadian Mennonite University, he wasn\u2019t sure what he wanted to major in. Each class he attended piqued his interest. \u201cBefore long, the list of what I wanted to do became unrealistic for me,\u201d Kiranto said. \u201cI […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[20,25,5],"tags":[646,38,393],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5035"}],"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=5035"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5045,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5035\/revisions\/5045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}