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Alumni Profiles Articles

Alumni Profiles – Kim Penner (CMU ’08)

December 13, 2012 – Kim Penner_webFor Kim Penner, studying biblical and theological studies and history at CMU provided a solid foundation for her graduate studies. From CMU, Penner went on to earn her Master’s degree in Theological Studies at Conrad Grebel University College (University of Waterloo) and she is now working towards her Doctorate in Theology at Emmanuel College (University of Toronto).

“My CMU experience was rich both in academics and in community life,” says Penner. “I was very involved in residence life as a Resident Assistant and the chair of the Social Activities Committee.”

“From an academic perspective, CMU prepared me very well for my graduate studies. I really enjoyed doing biblical exegesis of scripture to discern the historical and theological context of a passage, and studying female characters in scripture in history. My time at CMU provided my foundation in good research and writing skills that will enable me to be successful.”

“I have especially appreciated the support and mentorship of the CMU faculty,” she says. “I look up to them and hope to join them as a fellow academic in the future.”

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Articles Student Profiles

Student Profiles – Abram Thiessen (2012)

Abram Thiessen_webDecember 13, 2012 – In 2011, Abram Thiessen faced a sudden life threatening health condition while studying at CMU. Away from his hometown of Abbotsford, British Columbia, he learned quickly that he was far from alone in Manitoba.

“During my health crisis, the CMU community was always with me, through both prayers and their physical presence,” says Thiessen. “The instant I was taken out of my medically induced coma, I saw two gigantic ‘get well soon’ cards in my room that had been signed by CMU students – including many I had never talked to before. Over the next few weeks, I had so many visitors.”

“This support meant everything to me. It would have been so much more difficult to endure weeks at a time in the hospital without my friends at CMU. It was the community of CMU that kept my spirits up and kept me going,” says Thiessen.

“Today, I am very stable thanks to the medication I am using. I’m excited to come back to CMU this year to be a part of the community once again.”

 

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Student Profiles – Raven Nickel (2012)

Raven Nickel_webDecember 13, 2012 – For Raven Nickel of Altona, MB, who is working towards an education degree and majoring in French, coming to CMU after high school was the ideal choice to begin post-secondary studies. Receiving a scholarship helped make it all possible.

Upon graduation from Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna two years ago, Raven received a CMU Leadership Scholarship valued at $10,000 over four years.  The award recognizes both academic excellence and leadership, shown in her roles as camp counsellor, lifeguard, and aide to a younger student.

“That money was a huge help,” says  Nickel, who lives in residence at CMU. “The award gave me confidence in myself and sparked my interest in taking initiative to become a Residence Assistant – and helping other students also lets me give back to CMU.”

“I love living on campus, and having my own place to go between classes. I like the activities outside of class time, I enjoy the community of people here, and I like the dynamics between professors and students.”

In particular, Nickel appreciates the focus on theology and faith as part of her daily life.  “I’m looking forward to taking more BTS courses this year,” says Nickel, who hopes to teach, to travel, and to do mission work. “It’s really cool that faith can be worked into everyday things.”

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Articles Student Profiles

Student Profiles – Natalie Vander Zaag (2012)

Natalie Vander Zaag_webDecember 13, 2012 – Natalie Vander Zaag (OT’11) started at Canadian Mennonite University as a participant in CMU’s Outtatown French Africa program and stayed to study at CMU with a major in social sciences.

Vander Zaag had always been interested in psychology, but it was her work at an Aboriginal drop-in centre in Winnipeg’s North End that helped turn that interest into a true passion. “I am so interested in how the human brain works and the methods people use to heal. My work at the drop-in centre has made me even more passionate about healing and therapy,” says Vander Zaag.

“I love psychology because you can apply everything you learn to everyday experiences,” she says.

“The quality of teaching here goes beyond what you’d get at other schools because the faculty here are able to merge academics with an ability and a willingness to nurture the spiritual aspects of their students’ lives,” says Vander Zaag. “This is a genuine, caring place where people are supported and encouraged to grow in all areas of their lives. I have really enjoyed my CMU experience.”

 

 

 

 

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Articles Student Profiles

Graduate Student Profiles – Jose Moraga

005 Jose Morega Diaz WebDecember 13, 2012 – The decision to study at Canadian Mennonite University required a leap of faith for graduate student Jose Moraga and his family, who came to Winnipeg from their home in Santiago, Chile.

“Continuing my studies outside of my country has been a very important step in my spiritual journey. I chose to study at CMU because I identify with the University’s focus on service, leadership, and reconciliation, its program flexibility, and its theology with a strong emphasis on justice and peace,” says Moraga.

Living, working, and studying in a foreign country has been a challenge for Moraga and his family – especially because of the language barrier. Moraga credits the CMU community with helping to ease that transition.

“At CMU, we have found people who have cared for us not only academically, but also on a personal level. Living here among people of different cultures has been an excellent experience for our daughters,” says Moraga. “The professors have been patient and motivating, and a diversity of opinions and experiences is something that is welcomed in the classroom. The staff at CMU have quickly become part of our family.”

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Articles Student Profiles

Student Profiles – Kathleen McCullough

December 13, 2012 – A love of basketball brought CMU student and athlete Kathleen McCullough to CMU – and it’s what continues to motivate and challenge this student who is in  her third year both at the school and on the team.

“Our team is like an extended family to me,” says McCullough, who is working towards her Bachelor of Arts Kathleen McCullough_40KBdegree in Social Sciences and Counselling. “As the year progresses, each player develops, both personally and in our athletic ability. My coach really puts the players first and has helped push me to my optimal performance.”

Kathleen started out with less than a full course load, but quickly learned to balance life as a full-time student with her basketball career. “I believe anybody can balance academics and athletics here – and succeed in both.”

CMU athletes are supported by the entire community, cheering on their teams through wins and even through losses. “The fans here never stop cheering,” says Kathleen. “It doesn’t matter which sport is happening, there will always be fans coming out to support their team. That support keeps a team going through tough competition and it’s something I look forward to every basketball season.”

CMU athletes consistently perform well in the league’s scholar-athlete rankings, with nine student-athletes in 2012 achieving grade-point averages (GSPs) of 4.0 and up. Also recognized for academic awards are scholar-athletes with GPAs of 3.0 (80%) or higher – in 2011, 47 members of CMU’s six varsity teams received recognition for academic excellence, representing 69% of all team members.

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Students Thank Donors on Tuition Freedom Day

IMG_5247.JPG John,Katie Epp & grandd Becky Longhurst 144KBDecember 13, 2012 – Canadian Mennonite University gathered on November 26, 2012 to celebrate Tuition Freedom Day, recognizing the assistance of donors and of the Government of Manitoba for their generous contributions in support of higher education throughout the year.

Tuition Freedom Day is the time of year by which revenues from student tuition fees would technically run out, in terms of   paying actual costs for the student’s university education, and support from the community essentially kicks in to pick up budget costs  for the remainder of the year. From Tuition Freedom Day forward, money from government grants, from donor gifts, and funds from University’s operating budget are utilized to make higher education possible for CMU students.

CMU President Cheryl Pauls welcomed guests and brought greetings to the event from Manitoba’s Minister of Higher Education and Literacy, Hon. Erin Selby. Pauls noted that CMU operates with a budget of $13.4-million, out of which approximately $4.7 M (35%) is paid through student tuition and fees.  The Manitoba Government supports CMU with an annual grant of approximately $4.0 M (30%) while $2.9M (22%) is raised through ancillary business, meal plans, and campus rentals. The final 13% of CMU’s budget, $1.8M, reflects the generous giving of individual donors and businesses along with the undergirding of Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Brethren Church congregations, together supporting the Annual Operating Fund and designating support to student scholarships and bursaries. In sum, the combined gifting of government, donors, and the Church is truly significant in support of the learning of CMU’s students.

“I am honoured to be here on behalf of the CMU student body to say thank you to all of those who so generously support our education,” says fourth-year  CMU student Gabrielle Lemire, who iscompleting her Bachelor’s degree in Bible and Theology and Mathematics. “Education is so much more than just information or the way to get a job. Education has the potential to help us learn who God has created us to be in a supportiveenvironment. And this is exactly the kind of environment that CMU provides.”

“This is a time not only to celebrate what a great university CMU is; this is a time to highlight the importance of having a community to surround the students, staff, and faculty at CMU,” says Lemire, addressing the large Tuition Freedom Day gathering in CMU’s Chapel. “Going to CMU would not be possible for many of us if it weren’t for the financial support that our broader community has given. On behalf of all the studentshere at CMU, thank you for investing in us, and entrusting us with this precious gift.”

Dave Bergen, representing Mennonite Church Canada, spoke at the event on behalf of the church ownership bodies. In addressing CMU’s students, Bergen says: “It is a privilege to be here at this annual event celebrating the different partnerships and connections that make it possible for you as students to receive university education at CMU, and to be forming your understandings of vocation and life through the lens of Christian faith and theological understandings.”

MC Canada, he notes, is simultaneously an owner, a donor, and a huge cheerleader for the work of CMU. “We are one of a number of partners who believe in and support Canadian Mennonite University and its mission,” says Bergen.  “We are proud that CMU is deeply rooted in the church, and that its graduates are inspired to engage in the mission of God in many different ways. We thank God for the opportunity to be partners with you in this amazing educational endeavor.”

As part of this year’s Tuition Freedom Day 2012, CMU’s Development Office featured a special announcement of a generous endowment fund that has been created through donations from Portage Mennonite Church, which closed in July 2012. The endowed funds will generate two annual scholarships of $2,500 each for future CMU students. CMU Church Relations Director Abram Bergen was pleased to introduce Gerald and Grace Loeppky, Alma Pankratz, Tony and Astrid Peters, and Margaret Thiessen, congregational members from Portage Mennonite Church who were present to represent their church for this important announcement.

“This ‘small church that could’ leaves a large legacy, as it will support the training of future leaders and musicians at CMU,” says Bergen.

Each year, over a thousand individualdonors support CMU. Representing this important group was retired pastor couple John Epp (MBBC ’53) and Katie Epp, former music faculty member at Mennonite Brethren Bible College. The Epps have served in a number of Mennonite churches in Winnipeg since 1976.

“We are thankful to be regular and faithful donors,” says John Epp. “We support CMU with prayer and finances because it is a place of learning committed to seeking, teaching, and living the truth, as a Christian university of the church for the world.”

In 2003, he comments, the colleges Mennonite Brethren Bible College, (MBBC, a CMU predecessor college) and CMBC jointly planned and celebrated their 50th anniversary on the CMU campus. “We were two small classes with a combined total of 27 graduates, which by 2003 had shrunk to less than 20.  At our 50th celebration, we established the Class of ‘53 bursary fund of $20,000. Over the intervening years,” says Epp, “we have assisted nine students with a total of $5,836.” Eligibility for this bursary is open to all disciplines of studies.

“Our personal support for CMU combines prayer and finances,” says Katie Epp. “Scholarship and prayer are mutually complimentary, so we support and pray that all life and learning at CMU will be imbued with the heart and mind of Christ. God bless you as you keep on making it happen.”

The Epps were joined by their granddaughter, CMU student Rebecca Longhurst, at the Tuition Freedom Day celebration.

CMU Student Council President Brent Retzlaff, in closing the event, thanked guests and the CMU community for their participation and support.

Photo: Long-time donors and friends of CMU Katie Epp and John Epp, with CMU Student and granddaughter of the Epps, Rebecca Longhurst

 

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CMU Students Thank Portage Mennonite Church

IMG_5240 Portage la Prairie donors 112KB webDecember 13, 2012 – Portage Mennonite Church in Portage la Prairie may have had a small congregation, yet the vision of its members in leaving a legacy for the next generation is both generous and far-sighted. As a gift to CMU, Portage Mennonite Church, which closed on July 1, 2012, has created an endowed fund  that will generate two annual scholarships of $2,500 each to support the studies of future CMU students.

This special announcement was made by CMU Church Relations Director Abram Bergen as the Canadian Mennonite University community gathered to acknowledge appreciation to donors on November 26, 2012 at its annual Tuition Freedom Day celebration. This special student-run event recognizes the assistance of donors and of the Government of Manitoba for their generous contributions in support of higher educationthroughout the year.

“Portage Mennonite Church nurtured a small and faithful community for over thirty-five years,” notes Church Relations Director Abram Bergen. Exceptionally active for its size, it sent members to work with MCC, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, and Mennonite Church Canada programs, says Bergen.

Bergen was pleased to introduce Portage Mennonite Church congregation members Gerald and Grace Loeppky, Alma Pankratz, Tony and Astrid Peters, and Margaret Thiessen, who attended the celebration as representatives from their church.

One of the two annual awards will be given to an international student or to a student who is involved with a first or second generation church in Canada, and who will be entering or continuing full-time studies in CMU’s Master of Arts (Theological Studies or Christian Ministry) program, with the intent of preparing for a church leadership role.

The other award to be made annually will be for a full-time student entering or continuing in the Music Therapy program at CMU.

Awarding of the scholarships will begin in September 2013, continuing annually.

“We are grateful that Portage Mennonite Church has established this significant endowment to fund scholarships for our students,” says CMU President Cheryl Pauls. “This is a wonderful legacy by a caring church that clearly understood the value of higher education in a Christian setting. Thank you, friends of CMU.  Your gifts are deeply appreciated.”

 

Photo: Portage Congregation members accompanied by students and faculty and staff at CMU during their November 2012 scholarship announcement. Back row, l to r: CMU students Sheralynn Neff, Angela Neufeld, Arlana Mueller, Andrew Brown, Dean of Music Dr. Janet Brenneman, Margaret Thiessen. Front row, l to r: CMU Graduate School of Theology and Ministry Director Dr. Karl Koop, Astrid Peters, Tony Peters, Gerald Loeppky, Grace Loeppky, Alma Pankratz, and Church Relations Director Dr. Abram Bergen. 

 

 

 

 

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Conversations on Food, Faith, Eating, and the City

December 5, 2012 – On World Food Day 2012, Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) was excited to co-host the second event in the Germinating Conversations series on Food, Faith, Eating, and the City. The series is a partnership between CMU, the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Manitoba Peace Program, and A Rocha Prairie Canada.

The October 16 event presented perspectives from five different urban dwellers, reflecting on their faith and how that impacts their food choices. They all answered the question: As an eater, what do you wish food growers understood about how you buy and eat food?

“We wanted to include diverse perspectives – from people who subscribe to the 100 Mile Diet to people who are fast food regulars,” said Kenton Lobe. “The idea was to bring these people together with food growers and other consumers and to create an environment for listening and learning.”

Deanna Zantingh, a CMU student, was one of the presenters. “As a rural farm girl turned urban eater, I have come to appreciate both sides of this complex conversation. My presentation was based on my ‘Alice in Wonderland’ experience of existing in two very different worlds that don’t always understand each other. Going in, my hope was to function as a bridge builder and lay a foundation for truthful engagement that incorporated all stakeholders – eaters and growers – without backing away from tough issues. I walked away very encouraged.”

Another presenter, DeLayne Toews, works at CMU Farms and Winnipeg Harvest. He shared his journey to incorporate the principles of Micah 6:8 – “…to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” – in all areas of his life, including how he eats. “I’ve come to see that the food I eat is a way that I can live these passages out,” he explained. “For me, food has become one of those places where I can grasp how faith interacts concretely in my everyday life. I try to beenvironmentally and socially responsible in my choices, buying locally and directly whenever possible, and looking for products that are organic and fair trade. That said, there is so much to learn from nearly every place on the spectrum. God is at work at many places in the food system.”

“It was so encouraging to see the dialogue that came out of this event,” Lobe continued. “After the presentations were over, I watched as one of the Province’s largest conventional farmers and an organic 100-mile eater got into a really friendly conversation. It was wonderful to see.”

The event’s organizing partners are working to make the presentations available online and are considering future events. Visit www.mccmanitoba.ca for details.

A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as two graduate degree programs. CMU has over 1,600 students, including Menno Simons College and Outtatown students, and is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

Article written by Lindsay Wright for CMU.

 

 

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Renowned Instructors Join in CSOP 2013

December 4, 2012 – Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP), an annual summer peace and justice program of Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), in 2013 welcomes seven renowned instructors over two weeks, each to teach a week-long intensive course that will engage participants in issues related to peace, justice,   and conflict resolution.

“I continue to be amazed by the quality of our students, who arrive ready to listen and to learn from one another,” says CSOP Co-Director Valerie Smith, noting that the peace-justice summer school is now in its  fifth year of operation. “We draw students from around the world, coming from diverse backgrounds. They    are incredible people.  They arrive ready to engage with one another  and it is amazing to see the depth of their conversations by the end of a week together. CSOP’s first session, June 17-21, features three courses: “Healing the Wounds: Peacebuilding through Transformative Theatre,” led by Armand Volkas; “Human Rights and Indigenous Legal Traditions,” by Val Napoleon; and “Collaborative & Culturally Responsive Partnerships,” by Wendy Kroeker.

Courses in the second session, June 24-28, are: “Train the Trainer: Working for Conflict Transformation,” led by Karen Ridd; “Reconciliation & Forgiveness: Exploring Biblical & Contemporary Understandings,” by Ched Myers and Elaine Enns; and “Finding Your Voice: Understanding Nonviolent Action for Today’s Complex World,” by Mubarak Awad.

The Canadian School of Peacebuilding aims to educate on peace and justice issues and encourage discussion in a collaborative environment. The goal is for participants to leave these sessions with a new understanding of emerging ideas in peace studies, encouraged to take these practices into their daily living.  In addition to the CSOP summer program, courses are available year-round at CMU’s Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses.

Through its Menno Simons College campus at The University of Winnipeg and its south Winnipeg Shaftesbury campus, CMU offers one of the most comprehensive undergraduate programs in peace and conflict studies in the world.  Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1600 students in its programs. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

 

Canadian School of Peacebuilding Instructors, June 2013

Mubarak Awad is the founder of the National Youth Advocate Program in different locations in United States, which provides alternativefoster care and counseling to “at risk” youth and their families. He is also the Founder of the Palestinian Center for the Study of Nonviolence in Jerusalem, Palestine, and was deported by the Israeli Supreme Court in 1988after being jailed for organizing activities involving nonviolent civil disobedience. Mubarak has since formed Nonviolence International, which promotes peace education and nonviolent action in dealing with political and social issues and works with various movements and organizations across theglobe. He has also been an adjunct professor at the American University in Washington, DC since 1989 at the School of International Studies, focusing on promoting dialogue and transforming post-conflict societies and teaching graduate courses on Methods and Theory of Nonviolence. Mubarak was born in Jerusalem, Palestine and currently resides in Gaithersburg MD, USA.

Elaine Enns has been working in the field of restorative justice and conflict transformation since 1989 as a victim-offender dialogue facilitator, consultant, educator and trainer. She provides mediation and consultation services for individuals, churches, schools, community organizations, and businesses, and travels throughout North America teaching and training. Enns teaches part time at the Peace and Justice Academy of Pasadena, CA and is a co-founder of the Word and World School for faith based activists. Born and raised in Saskatoon, SK, she currently lives in Oak View, California, where she serves as the Program Director for the Restorative Justice Program with Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries (BCM). She holds an MA in Theology and Peacemaking from the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in Fresno. From 1995 to 1999, Elaine served as faculty at the Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies, Fresno Pacific University, Fresno.  Her most recent publication is Ambassadors of Reconciliation: A New Testament Theology and Diverse Christian Practices of Restorative Justice and Peacemaking with Ched Myers (Orbis Books, 2009).

Wendy Kroeker is currently employed at Canadian Mennonite University in the Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies department and is a doctoral student at the University of Manitoba in Peace and Conflict studies.  She came to CMU from the field of international development as the Latin America Program Manager for Canadian Lutheran World Relief. As well, Wendy brings long-term experience as a  workplace/community mediator in North America and facilitator at international peacebuilding schools such as the Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute and the Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute.  Wendy holds an M.A. in Theology from MBBS (Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary) , a certificate in mediation from Mediation Services and course work in the area of Religion and Conflict at the EMU (Eastern Mennonite University) Summer Peacebuilding Institute.  Wendy has facilitated trainings with community organizations in the Philippines, Burma/Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India and other locations in Asia.  In 2011, Wendy served as Co-Director of the Canadian School of Peacebuilding.

Ched Myers is an activist theologian who has worked in social change movements for 35 years. With a degree in New Testament Studies, he is a popular educator who animates scripture and issues of faith-based peace and justice. He has authored over 100 articles and more than a half-dozen books, including Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus (Orbis, 1988/2008); The Biblical Vision of Sabbath Economics (Tell the Word,2001), Ambassadors of Reconciliation: A New Testament Theology and Diverse Christian Practices of Restorative Justice and Peacemaking (with Elaine Enns, Orbis, 2009), and most recently, Our God is Undocumented: Biblical Faith and Immigrant Justice (Orbis, 2012). Most of Myer’s works can be found at www.ChedMyers.org. Myers is a co-founder of the Word and World School (www.wordandworld.org), the Sabbath Economics Collaborative (www.sabbatheconomics.org), and the Center and Library for the Bible and Social Justice (http://clbsj.org/). He and his partner Elaine Enns, a restorative justice practitioner, live in the Ventura River watershed in southern California and work with Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries (www.bcm-net.org).

Val Napoleon was appointed Law Foundation Professor of Aboriginal Justice and Governance at the Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, in January 2012. She is from northeast British Columbia (Treaty 8) and is a member of Saulteau First Nation. She is also an adopted member of the Gitanyow (Gitksan) House of Luuxhon, Ganada (Frog) Clan. Prior to joining the Faculty of Law at UVIC, she was an associate professor, cross- appointed with the faculties of native studies and law at the University of Alberta. Napoleon worked as a community activist and consultant in northwestern BC for over 25 years, specializing in health, education, and justice issues. She has also worked with a number of regional, provincial, national, and international projects relating to indigenous legal traditions, conflict management, education, and citizenship. Her dissertation on Gitksan law and legal theory was awarded the UVIC Governor General’s Gold Medal for best dissertation in 2009.

Her current research focuses on indigenous legal traditions, indigenous legal theory, indigenous feminism, citizenship, self-determination, and governance. Two major initiatives include the JID (joint JD and indigenous law degree) program and establishing an indigenous law clinic.

For fifteen years, Karen Ridd has been effectively using alternative teaching methodology while teaching in the Conflict Resolution and International Development Studies programs at Menno Simons College of the Canadian Mennonite University. Ridd is also a mediator, teacher, and speaker with over 20 years’ experience. Her work with Peace Brigades International was recognized with the 1992 Governor-General’s 125th Anniversary Medal, the 1990 Canada YM/YWCA Peace Medal, and the 1989 Manitoba Human Rights Achievement Award. Ridd excels in alternative pedagogy, and has worked in a wide variety of settings, including Latin America, South East Asia, and First Nations Territories.

Armand Volkas is a psychotherapist, drama therapist, and theatre director. He is clinical director of the Living Arts Counseling Center in Oakland, California. He is also associate professor in the Counseling Psychology Program at California Institute of Integral Studies and adjunct professor at John F. Kennedy University and Institute for Transpersonal Studies.

Volkas, the son of Auschwitz survivors and resistance fighters from World War II, created Healing the Wounds of History, a therapeutic approach in whichtheatre techniques are used to work with groups of participants from two cultures with a common legacy of violent conflict and historical trauma. He was moved by his personal struggle to address the issues that arose from his own legacy, including victimization and perpetration, identity, meaning and grief. Healing the Wounds of History has received international recognition for its work in bringing together groups in conflict: Descendants of Holocaust survivors and The Third Reich; Palestinians and Israelis; Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans on their legacy of WWII; Armenians and Turks on the legacy of genocide; African-Americans and European-Americans on the legacy of slavery; Tamil and Singhalese in the aftermath of the Sri Lankan Civil War and between the factions involved in the Lebanese Civil War. Volkas is also Artistic Director of The Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble, which is in now in its 23rd year of existence. At the heart of Armand’s work is a profound respect for the power of personal story to build bridges between people and cultures.

Volkas has an MFA in Theatre/Acting from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an MA in Clinical Psychology/Drama Therapy from Antioch University. He is a registered drama therapist and a board certified trainer with the National Association for Drama Therapy.