Community & Alumni Blog
Bridge-builder Profile: Heather Schellenberg and Michael Harms
Heather Schellenberg and Michael Harms recently moved to South Korea, where they will teach English for one year.
But before they left, the CMU alumni—who were married in 2012—bought a tile to support the university's Come Together: Be a Bridge Builder campaign.
Both wanted to make the donation because studying at CMU significantly shaped their lives. Michael says the university is a place where young people can develop themselves not only through academics, but by exploring other interests such as music and sports.
"It was such a rich and wholesome thing to be a part of the CMU community," says Michael, who majored in International Development Studies and graduated with his degree in 2011. "In sports and academics, through having a part-time job on campus, having all my friends at the university—interacting with people in a variety of different ways was a very rich part of my experience."
For Heather, playing volleyball at CMU was an opportunity to learn more about her faith.
"Faith is really integrated into athletics at CMU, and I found that really essential," she says. "It made me think deeper about what it meant to be on a team and create this little community of women. There was really something special about that."
Heather believes that the teaching styles used by her CMU professors will influence the way she and Michael work with students in South Korea.
"Professors at CMU really model a neat and rich way of interacting and getting to know their students," says Heather, who graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in English before earning a Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Winnipeg.
The willingness of CMU professors to help students and mentor them made a lasting impression on Heather.
"That idea of openness and mentorship really stuck with me," she says. "I really learned a lot from just watching professors interacting with students. That is definitely something I'm taking with me as I begin [my] teaching career."
You can make a difference in the life of CMU for less than $14 a month. Find out how you can become a Bridge Builder and support CMU's new Library, Learning Commons and Bridge by going here and clicking on "Alumni: Buy a Tile."
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