Category: General News

Diverse new book explores peacebuilding around the world

Post author By CMU
Post date June 10, 2015

CMU to host launch of ‘Voices of Harmony & Dissent’ on Tuesday, June 16

A new book arising from Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP) explores the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds explores the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds was edited by Richard McCutcheon, Jarem Sawatsky, and Valerie Smith. The editors will celebrate the release of the book with a launch event happening Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 PM in the Great Hall at CMU (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). The event is free, and all are welcome to attend.

Offering an intriguing mix of styles and perspectives, the peacebuilders included in the book describe how they have used their creativity, compassion, and frustrations to learn how to peacefully engage and transform the world around them.

Each contributor has taught at the CSOP, which offers a selection of five-day courses each June.

Smith, co-director of the CSOP, says the book arose out of a desire to expose people to the amazing instructors who teach at the school.

“We have so many people who are interested in the CSOP, and so many who apply but don’t get a chance to come here for all sorts of reasons, like finances and visas,” Smith says. “We wanted to find a way to serve those people who can’t be here in person.”

Published by CMU Press, Voices of Harmony & Dissent includes contributions from Ovide Mercredi, former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations; Mubarak Awad, a Palestinian-American psychologist; Ouyporn Khuankaew, a Buddhist feminist activist from Thailand; Martin Entz, a professor in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba; Karen Ridd, Instructor in Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies at CMU; and more.

Through inspiring stories, the book takes readers on a journey of interrelated themes including women and peacebuilding, nonviolent action for social change, restorative justice, indigenous approaches to change, spirituality and creative arts, circle process, food security, mediation, intercultural peacebuilding, and truth and reconciliation.

While the style and topics of the essays are radically diverse, Smith says there are common themes that tie the collection together.

“All of the essays are written by deeply committed, experienced peacebuilders who are living what they teach,” she says.

Valerie Smith, co-director of the Canadian School of Peacebuilding, edited Voices of Harmony & Dissent with former CMU faculty Richard McCutcheon and Jarem Sawatsky.

Smith adds that she is looking forward to the book launch.

“In reading through these essays over and over again, I feel like I’ve learned a little bit about each contributor and what they have offered in their classes at the Canadian School of Peacebuilding,” she says. “That feels like a real gift. I’m excited to share that with the community and hear people’s feedback as they begin to read the book.”

Established in 2009, the CSOP is a learning community of diverse peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups who come together to learn, network, and engage in peacebuilding.

Now in its seventh year, the 2015 CSOP courses will take place June 15-19 and June 22-26.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over about 900 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N2

Tags Canadian School of Peacebuilding, CSOP, Jarem Sawatsky, peacebuilding, Val Smith

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CMU/MSC-affiliated research project awarded $2.6M

Post author By CMU
Post date June 9, 2015

Canadian universities and project partners awarded $2.6M in funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Government of Canada’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD).

Principal investigators are Dr. Pashupati Chaudhary from Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), Dr. Ram Rana from Anamolbiu Private Limited, and Manish N. Raizada from the University of Guelph.

Research partners include Dr. Kirit Patel, Assistant Professor of International Development Studies at Menno Simons College (MSC), a college of Canadian Mennonite University (CMU); Plant Products Company Inc.; XiteBio Technologies Inc.; iDE Canada and iDE Nepal; and the Nepal Agricultural Research Council.

The project is titled “Innovations for Terrace Farmers in Nepal and Testing of Private Sector Scaling Up Using Sustainable Agriculture Kits (SAKs) and Stall-Based Franchises (Nepal Terrace Farmers and SAKs).”

SAKs are toolkits that contain three components: seeds, low-cost agricultural technology, and instructional picture books. The kit contents vary by region and are chosen through local consultation to meet each region’s specific agroecological, socioeconomic, and nutritional needs.

Testing threshing machine The SAK project builds upon experience gained from a previous project, funded by the IDRC and DFATD and of which Patel was a principal investigator, on promoting small millets cultivation, production and consumption for enhancing food security in South Asia.

The SAK project began in August 2014 and will run for two and a half years with the focus on non-monetary or low cost “technological developments for small Nepalese farmers who are growing subsistence crops on hillsides,” says Patel.

CMU will provide support for participatory analysis of technological constraints faced by small and marginal farmers and examining the impacts new technologies introduced by the project have on women farmers.

“As a social scientist, I try to understand the agrarian context,” he says. “We see many young farmers are leaving rural areas and women are left in the household to do the farming.”

Added workload for female farmers is just one of the challenges facing Nepalese terrace farmers. Other challenges are limited land for cultivation, limited irrigation facilities, loss in soil fertility and deficiency in nutrients, water runoff from sloping land, and soil erosion.

P1030651 The project will address these challenges by: improving soil fertility, promoting climate change resilient crops, empowering and strengthening the resiliency of local innovators/farmers, using technology to assess farmers’ needs and collect feedback, and seeking ways to scale up the aforementioned technologies for inclusion in SAKs.

The project will operate using a participatory model, inviting input and knowledge from local farmers, local development organizations, entrepreneurs, and the private sector.

“The farmers have a role in the project—identifying problems and possible solutions,” says Patel. He is also seeking the participation of MSC students who would like to complete a research-oriented practicum or honours thesis in Nepal.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Kirit Patel, Menno Simons College, Research

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Former CMBC president Henry Poettcker, 90, dies

Post author By CMU
Post date June 4, 2015

Colleagues remember gifted scholar, administrator who exemplified servant-leadership

Immigrant farm boy, hard and confident worker, team builder, family man, devout Christian—Henry Poettcker was all those things and more.

Poettcker, who served as president of Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC), one of Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) predecessor institutions, died on Sunday, May 24, following a stroke. He was 90 years old.

Henry Poettcker in his office at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in 1964.

A scholar with a PhD from Princeton, Poettcker joined the faculty of CMBC in 1954 and became its president five years later at the age of 34. He held that office for 19 years.

Waldemar Janzen, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and German, worked as CMBC’s dean during Poettcker’s presidency. He remembers Poettcker as a calm, steadfast person who steered a steady course for CMBC during the turbulent youth movements of the 1960s and 70s.

“He was a humble, unpretentious leader,” Janzen says.

Harry Huebner, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Theology, says Poettcker gave the faculty the freedom to help shape CMBC.

“Perhaps his greatest gift was to interpret the constituency to the faculty and the faculty to the constituency,” Huebner says. “A most sensitive skill.”

Poettcker was born in Rudnerweide, Russia on March 27, 1925. His family moved to St. Elizabeth, Manitoba when he was just a few months old, and then to a farm 25 km. west of Pincher Creek, AB when he was two.

While attending Menno Bible Institute in Didsbury, AB throughout the winter of 1942-43, Poettcker met Aganetha (Agnes) Baergen. After marrying in 1946 in Tofield, AB, they spent eight years in Alberta, Kansas, Illinois, and New Jersey while Poettcker furthered his education.

Henry Poettcker as a young man.

After CMBC, Poettcker moved to Elkhart, Indiana, where he served as President and Professor of New Testament beginning in 1978 at Mennonite Biblical Seminary, one of the two seminaries that constituted Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, now Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary.

He was named President Emeritus when he retired in 1990.

Jacob Elias, Professor Emeritus of New Testament who served as dean at AMBS most of the years that Poettcker was president, describes Poettcker as gracious, dedicated, pastoral, organized, warm, and humble.

“His style of leadership was to empower others in their ministries,” Elias says. “He had a keen awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing congregations in Canada and the United States, as well as internationally. He had a deep love for Christ and the church, and a heart for pastors and other church leaders.”

As the first Canadian president of MBS, Poettcker fostered a closer link between the seminaries and CMBC/CMU, says Walter Sawatsky.

Sawatsky, who now is Professor Emeritus of Church History and Mission, remembers Poettcker’s approach to leadership: “Henry’s leadership style modeled a collegial approach that conveyed his style from CMBC and his belief that faculty needed a sense of freedom and were assumed to be part of the seminary leadership.”

In addition to his contributions to CMBC and MBS, Poettcker served as president of the General Conference Mennonite Church (now Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA) from 1962 to 1968, wrote Sunday school curricula for adults in German and English, and frequently contributed to Mennonite periodicals.

Upon his retirement in 1990, Poettcker returned to Winnipeg. In 2005, CMU honoured his years of service by naming one of its buildings Poettcker Hall. Four years later, CMU Press published Poettcker’s book, A President’s Journey: The Memoirs of Henry Poettcker.

In his later years, Poettcker gave loving care to Agnes, who suffered a severe and debilitating stroke. She passed away in February 2014.

Poettcker also participated in the professor emeriti group that meets every Thursday morning at CMU for fellowship, professional discussion, and mutual support.

This past March, 10 of Poettcker’s CMBC colleagues gathered with him to celebrate his 90th birthday.

It was a festive hour spent reminiscing over coffee and cake, and honouring the significant role Poettcker played in their lives and careers, and in the history of CMU.

“Henry has been a much greater and more impressive leader than he makes himself out to be,” Waldemar Janzen wrote in the foreword to A President’s Journey.

“He was never an advancement seeker or self-promoter. He did not display his own gifts, but others recognized them and challenged him to prepare for and assume leadership. When that happened, Henry acted with surprise that he should be chosen, and then applied all his energies to the task in order to serve others and God. When I hear the term ‘servant-leader,’ my first thought is of Henry Poettcker.”

A line Poettcker wrote in the resignation letter he sent to CMBC board members in 1977 perhaps best exemplifies his humility and faithfulness in the face of his many contributions to the Mennonite Church:

“If I have been one link in helping along, I give thanks to God.”

Poettcker is survived by daughter Chrystyanna, sons Ron (Carol-Ann) and Martin (Erna), seven grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and extended family.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Canadian Mennonite Bible College, CMBC, Henry Poettcker

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Graduates receive award from CMU president

Post author By CMU
Post date May 25, 2015

Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe and Mike Wiebe take home President’s Medals for scholarship, leadership, and service

Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe and Mike Wiebe are the 2015 recipients of Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) President’s Medals.

CMU President Cheryl Pauls awarded the medals during CMU’s 2015 Graduation Exercises on April 26. Klassen-Wiebe and Wiebe (no relation) received the awards in recognition of their qualities of scholarship, leadership, and service.

“CMU has been a very important place for me for the years I’ve been here, so getting this award means a great deal to me,” Klassen-Wiebe says.

Klassen-Wiebe, 22, and Wiebe, 21, were chosen from a group of 89 graduates.

Klassen-Wiebe, who lives in Winnipeg’s River Heights neighbourhood, graduated with a Bachelor of Music, Concentration: Performance – Collaborative Piano.

Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (left) and Michael Wiebe (right), recipients of 2015’s President’s Medals, pose with CMU President Cheryl Pauls

During her time at CMU, she immersed herself in university life by living on campus, working as a residence assistant, singing in choirs, performing with various music ensembles, and attending chapel services.

She is also involved at Charleswood Mennonite Church and has spent numerous summers working as a camp counsellor at Mennonite Church Manitoba’s Camps With Meaning.

Mike Wiebe, who is originally from Gretna, MB, graduated with a four-year Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Communications and Media. During his time at CMU, Wiebe lived on campus for two years and worked as a residence assistant for one of those years.

He played guitar in worship band, participated in chapel services, sang in a number of choirs, and worked on campus as a sound engineer. Like Klassen-Wiebe, he has spent many summers working at Camps With Meaning.

For Wiebe, highlights of studying at CMU included growing deeper in his faith by studying Mennonite history.

“Aside from my communications studies, courses on Mennonite studies and defining Anabaptism have impacted me and made me excited about work in the church,” he says.

Klassen-Wiebe says she has enjoyed studying at CMU.

“I have loved seeing the interweaving of music and faith through my education here,” she says.

Janet Brenneman, Dean of CMU’s School of Music and one of Klassen-Wiebe’s professors, says Klassen-Wiebe demonstrated what it means to be a music student at CMU.

“She got involved in as many music activities as she could, she took her studies very seriously, she got involved in the life of CMU outside of music, and I think people on campus knew her for her music abilities and beyond,” Brenneman says. “She is hardworking, a fine musician, a much-loved student, and a really great person.”

David Balzer, Assistant Professor of Media and Communications and one of Mike Wiebe’s professors, describes Wiebe as a hardworking, passionate student who demonstrated creativity in his assignments.

At the same time, Balzer notes Wiebe’s contributions to the CMU community outside of the classroom.

“Mike just simply invests in people,” Balzer says. “If he’s passionate about the academic side, I think he’s equally passionate about noticing people and giving what he has to them.”

Both President’s Medal recipients are in the midst of discerning what comes next in life.

Right now, they are working together for the next three months as co-directors of the summer program at Camp Assiniboia, located 20 minutes southwest of Winnipeg.

“I hope that my future will be able to integrate my love of people, of music, and of faith in some way,” Klassen-Wiebe says.

Mike Wiebe says that receiving the President’s Medal has caused him to reflect on his CMU experience and appreciate it even more, because he has realized how invested he was in the university over the past four years.

“This place has really impacted my life… and I think I’ve somehow, in some way, made CMU a part of my daily living,” he says.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags CMU President Cheryl Pauls, Mike Wiebe, President's Medals, Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe

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Canadian Mennonite University Celebrates Class of 2015

Post author By CMU
Post date April 29, 2015

Eighty-seven degrees, two certificates awarded during university’s annual commencement exercises

When Joseph Kiranto moved from Kenya to study at Canadian Mennonite University, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to major in. Each class he attended piqued his interest.

“Before long, the list of what I wanted to do became unrealistic for me,” Kiranto said. “I wouldn’t have known what to do with myself if it were not for the help of… the faculty and staff.”

Joseph Kiranto, CMU’s Class of 2015 Valedictorian

Kiranto told the story during his valedictory address at CMU’s 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.

Referencing the Class of 2015’s 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.

“Here at CMU we have been challenged, we have been encouraged, we have been empowered, and we have been motivated,” Kiranto said. “I will do the best I can. Will you?”

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.

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.

“With credentials, we honour the credibility of the tangible skills, transferable competencies, vibrant imaginations, and responsive hearts of the graduands,” Pauls said. “We also profess trust in their capacity and commitment to be agents of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.”

CMU President Cheryl Pauls (centre) with President Medal winners Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (left) and Michael Wiebe (right)

Pauls awarded President’s Medals to Mike Wiebe (BA, Four-Year, Communications and Media) and Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (BMus, Concentration: Performance – Collaborative Piano) in recognition of their qualities of scholarship, leadership, and service.

Earlier in the service, Rev. Dr. Hippolyto Tshimanga, a theologian and missiologist who works as the director of Mennonite Church Canada’s Africa, Europe, and Latin America Ministry, delivered the graduation address.

Tshimanga challenged graduates to face the obstacles they encounter with bravery.

“Believe in your God-given potential, believe in the education that you have received, and keep on moving,” Tshimanga said. “What you should have is unshakeable, unshakeable belief in what you are able to accomplish. Have the courage to act on your belief.”

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, Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies) reflected 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.

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.

“I 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,” Schellenberg said.

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.

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.

McCamis does not regret her decision, though.

“I 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,” she said.

“That to me is the greatest gift of seminary education, and that is worth infinitely more to me than any of the costs that I’ve incurred along the way.”

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.

The entire 2015 graduation service is available for viewing on CMU’s Youtube channel. (link)

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Grad 2015, Graduation, President's Medals

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CMU announces addition of MBA program

Post author By CMU
Post date April 27, 2015

Highly differentiated business degree focuses on leadership for the common good

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to introduce the second of two new graduate studies programs to launch for the 2015/16 academic year. In addition to the recently unveiled Master of Arts in Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development, CMU announces its participation in a Collaborative Masters of Business Administration program.

The Collaborative MBA is an accredited online program jointly offered by Eastern Mennonite University, Goshen College, Bluffton University, and CMU. Built on six core values—honouring community, leading as service, upholding justice, planning for sustainability, global citizenship, and growing spiritually—classes are delivered in synchronous (live video conferencing) and asynchronous (online learning/information sharing outside of the constraints of time and place) to accommodate both learning and employment

“The world needs new sustainable business models. Call it ‘capitalism for the common good’. Models that focus on the triple bottom line of people, planets, and profit,” says Jim Smucker, program director.

Mating business principles with an emphasize on sustainability, self-awareness, and making a profit without harm to people or the environment, the Collaborative MBA program is unique in its approach.

The curriculum is based on the concept of “Leadership for the Common Good.” Divided into nine core courses and three courses directly related to one of the eight concentration areas, the 26-hour program is typically completed in 22-24 months. With global citizenship as a core value, a one-week international residency is integrated into the coursework to provide students with a global perspective and context for an on-going case study for the entire Collaborative MBA curriculum.

As a joint-program of four faith-rooted institutions, the program boasts a diversity of business professors with varied backgrounds, interests, and expertise.

“The Collaborative MBA is a logical extension to CMU’s Redekop School of Business,” says Zerbe. “CMU’s undergraduate and graduate business programs offer unique perspective on how business can be successfully carried out with a with a value-based sensitivity and outlook that considers more than just dollars and cents.”

For more information about the Collaborative MBA program, please visit www.cmu.ca/gradstudies.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Business, Business Admin, Collaborative MBA, Gordon Zerbe, MBA, Redekop School of Business, RSB

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CMU announces new graduate studies program

Post author By CMU
Post date April 22, 2015

New MA in Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development builds on institutional expertise

CMU is pleased to announce a new Masters of Arts in Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development, which will bridge the fields of peacebuilding-conflict resolution studies and development-transformational justice studies.

MAPCDlogo CMU’s new MA program builds on the institution’s strong undergraduate programming in the areas of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and international development and reflects one of CMU’s core values: educating for peace and justice.

“We are excited to be offering this new MA, which is at the heart of CMU’s mission and vision,” says Gordon Zerbe, Vice President Academic at CMU.

The MA is structured in a flexible way, granting students the ability to shape thematic tracks around their needs, goals, and areas of interest. Designed especially for practitioners and professionals who wish to be responsive to the needs of organizations and agencies, the MA retains academic rigour for those seeking traditional academic study.

“CMU’s faculty, with strong academic and practitioner backgrounds in the areas of peacebuilding and international development, both in Canada and around the world, will provide an excellent foundation for this distinctive MA,” says Zerbe.

The MA will draw on resources and networks established at its two campuses and with practitioner agencies. Currently CMU offers undergraduate studies in Peace and Conflict Transformation at its Shaftesbury campus and Conflict Resolution at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg. Both locations offer undergraduate studies in International Development.

Initially the MA will be offered on a part-time basis, beginning with eligible courses at the 2015 Canadian School of Peacebuilding. As the program develops, students will have the option of completing full- or part-time studies. A thesis and non-thesis track will both be available.

The MA in Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development provides a compliment to CMU’s existing MA, which offers concentrations in Christian Ministry or Theological Studies.

“CMU has developed expertise in the areas of ministry and theology and peace and justice,” says Zerbe. “This new MA will provide a nice complement to the other masters degree we currently offer.”

For more on the program, please visit the program’s webpage.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Gordon Zerbe, MA, Master of Arts, Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development

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Canadian Mennonite University announces three new faculty appointments

Post author By CMU
Post date April 14, 2015

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is pleased to announce three new faculty appointments.

Rachel Krause and Matthew Pauls will join CMU’s main campus faculty as Assistant Professor of Biology and Assistant Professor of Music, respectively. Jobb Arnold will join the faculty of Menno Simons College (MSC), a college of CMU, as Assistant Professor of Conflict Resolution Studies.

All of the positions are tenure-track, and each person will begin work in time for the 2015-16 school year.

Gordon Zerbe, Vice President Academic at CMU, says he is pleased to have Krause, Pauls, and Arnold join the university.

“I’m excited about the way they will make their own unique contribution to CMU’s faculty culture and our programs,” Zerbe says. “They all fill in gaps in our program, and at the same time, they each bring something fresh and new.”

Zerbe adds that with these new hires, CMU has 31 full-time faculty members, 93 per cent of whom have earned PhDs.

“As evidenced by CMU’s number one ranking for academic quality in the recent CUSC survey of Canadian universities, we are dedicated to academic excellence,” Zerbe says. “Each of these professors brings an academic quality and background that will enhance our already robust interdisciplinary-minded faculty. They will provide our students with exciting new learning opportunities and expand the institution’s scope of research.”

About CMU’s new faculty:

Matthew Pauls is a CMU alumnus currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Western Ontario. Pauls’ speciality is Voice Performance and his research focuses on Argentine Art Song, a body of repertoire that is virtually unknown in the greater performance and scholarly communities.

An accomplished baritone, Pauls has performed as a featured soloist with ensembles such as the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Paraguay, Windsor Symphony, Canadian Chamber Choir, Winnipeg Singers, Guelph Chamber Choir, Windsor Classic Chorale, and the Windsor Symphony Chorus.

“The way that CMU makes an intentional effort to create a caring, supportive environment that really helps encourage intellectual and interpersonal growth in terms of relationships was one of the reasons I wanted to come back and be a part of the community again,” Pauls says. “I’m excited to be part of students’ experience at CMU and to try to make their experience as good as the one I had.”

Rachel Krause recently completed her PhD dissertation at the Institute of Parasitology at the McGill School of Environment at McGill University, and will defend it next month. For her doctoral research, Krause looked at how the health of preschool children in extremely poor rural communities in Panama has been affected by their families’ participation in a food security intervention based on agricultural development.

Krause’s background in ecology and environment has also led to broad experiences ranging from salmon habitat evaluation and restoration in her native British Columbia, to parasitism and pollution studies of fish in the St. Lawrence River.

Krause says she was impressed by the community she experienced during a campus visit while applying for the job.

“I get the sense that at CMU, there’s a strong desire to collaborate formally and informally across disciplines, which I love to do,” Krause says.

Jobb Arnold holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from Queen’s University and has research expertise in the comparative study of post-conflict cultures. Arnold specializes in genocide studies, the dynamics of social movements, and the role of aesthetics and public emotion in community building practices.

Arnold has a background in conflict studies theory and social psychology. His doctoral research took him to Rwanda and Northern Ireland.

Arnold’s research and teaching is motivated by a concern for social justice. He has taught in Conflict Resolution Studies, Development Studies, and Psychology departments.

“MSC has been a ground-breaking institute in developing Winnipeg’s reputation for progressive and engaged scholarship in the areas of conflict studies, human rights, and intercultural reconciliation,” Arnold says, adding that MSC’s core values of peace, service, and justice lie at the heart of much of his work. “I look forward to upholding these values and furthering the causes of peace and social justice in all my activities.”

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Faculty, Jobb Arnold, Matthew Pauls, Rachel Krause

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CMU instructor, MSC alumni named as CBC Manitoba Future 40 finalists

Post author By CMU
Post date April 6, 2015

Canadian Mennonite University congratulates one of its faculty and two of its alumni on being part of CBC Manitoba’s Future 40, a list of Manitobans under the age of 40 who are making a big impact on their community.

James Magnus-Johnston, Instructor of Political Studies and Economics, was named one of the finalists late last month after CBC Manitoba and Metro called on Manitobans to nominate people. More than 195 nominations came in.

Jamil Mahmood and Abdikheir Ahmed, two alumni of Menno Simons College – a college of CMU – were also finalists.

About the recipients:

James Magnus-Johnston, Instructor of Political Studies and Economics

Magnus-Johnston has a background in green economics, finance, and public policy. He has an MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University and is the Canadian Director of the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy.

In addition to his work at CMU, Magnus-Johnston is one of five co-founders of Fools and Horses Coffee Company in Winnipeg. On-tap wine, compostable packaging and local products are all part of the coffee shop’s goal to be completely waste-free.

A portion of the money that Fools and Horses makes will be invested into RISE Urban incubator, a social enterprise he co-founded with his friend, Benjamin Gillies. Magnus-Johnston and Gilles were among the lead authors for Transition Winnipeg’s Energy Descent Initiative, entitled Winnipeg’s Great Transition: Ideas and Actions for a Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient City. RISE Urban, a non-profit, was set up to initiate some of the demonstration projects that aim to reduce our ecological footprint found throughout the publication.

Magnus-Johnston, who triple-majored in Political Studies, Rhetoric and Communications, and Theatre as an undergraduate student at the University of Winnipeg, is also heavily involved in Winnipeg’s arts scene. He sings regularly with Antiphony, a seven-member acapella ensemble, and he has also performed with the Winnipeg Singers and Camerata Nova.

Jamil Mahmood (MSC, BA ’10, International Development Studies)

Jamil Mahmood is the executive director of the Spence Neighbourhood Association, an organization that works with the people of Spence to revitalize and renew their community in the areas of holistic healing, community, connecting, community economic development, environment and open spaces, and youth and families.

Mahmood works to address gaps or enhance the strengths within Winnipeg through a variety of different initiatives. He established Youth Programming at the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre, which now sees over 100 children a day and includes a full meal and transportation.

At SNA, Mahmood implemented a basketball program, providing an opportunity for inner city youth to play basketball in an organized league. The True Sport Foundation has recognized this basketball program as a model program.

Ten years ago, Mahmood began with SNA by setting up community gardens. He continuously works to make the West End a healthy, safe, and welcoming environment for all.

Abdikheir Ahmed (MSC, BA ’07, International Development Studies)

Abdikheir Ahmed is a longtime advocate for newcomers to Manitoba. He is involved with the Social Planning Council’s Local Immigration Partnership, which brings together different levels of government to plan and research the best strategies to help newcomers.

Previously, Ahmed served as the executive director of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba where he helped support and advocate for newcomers. Ten years ago, Ahmed came to Canada as a refugee, and now regularly opens his home to newcomer youth who need extra support or mentorship.

He helped found Humankind International, a non-governmental organization that seeks to improve the lives of children in the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya by supporting their education.

Ahmed was awarded the United Nations Fellowship as a People of African Descent Fellow at the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. He is the recipient of a Citizen’s Appreciation Award from the Winnipeg Police Service for his efforts to build relationships between the newcomer community and police.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags Abdikheir, CBC, CMU, Future 40, James Magnus-Johnston, Jamil Mahmood, MSC

Events General News Lectures News Releases

Upcoming lecture to explore the animal kingdom in Canadian Mennonite history

Post author By CMU
Post date March 5, 2015

Dr. Royden Loewen to deliver 2015 John and Margaret Friesen Lecture at CMU

The 2015 edition of the John and Margaret Friesen Lectures at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) will explore how Mennonites have imagined the animal kingdom over the last 150 years.

Dr. Royden Loewen, Chair in Mennonite Studies and Professor of History at the University of Winnipeg, will give a lecture titled, “‘Come Watch This Spider’: Animals, Mennonites, and the Modern World,” at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 17 in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.).

The lecture will focus on the ethical dimensions of animal-human relations among Canadian Mennonites. Often overlooked, their rich literary traditions are filled with references to inter-species relationships. Their diaries, memoirs, and novels suggest a relationship that changed significantly over time.

“There is simply a deeper respect that humans had for animals in the pre-industrial times of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries,” Loewen says. “It’s not that humans were not dominant over animals… but that dominance was expressed in a different way.”

That fundamental respect during pre-industrial times was followed by an objectification and commodification of the animal during the mid to late 20^th century as Mennonites embraced the ‘modern’ world.

By the turn of the 20^th century, some writers from the edges of Mennonite society began to confront the very idea of animal subjugation.

Loewen hopes that those who attend the lecture are challenged to recover a basic respect that people once had for animals.

He also hopes that by learning about animals in the history of Canadian Mennonites, a greater understanding of the nature of the modern world can be achieved.

Ultimately, to study animal-human relations is to study human history more fully.

“A generation ago, Mennonite historians began writing ordinary people into the narrative – not just bishops and (other leaders),” Loewen says. “We did that to write a more inclusive history, so in the name of a more just and inclusive history, we also need to understand the creatures of the earth.”

Dr. Paul Doerksen, Associate Professor of Theology and Anabaptist Studies at CMU, says Loewen’s reputation as a world-class scholar made him an obvious choice to deliver the 2015 John and Margaret Friesen Lecture.

“Nobody’s better at social history than Roy,” Doerksen says, adding that as a Mennonite university, it is important for CMU to host Mennonite scholars of Loewen’s calibre.

“We have to have people like Roy here to help us learn and see issues in new ways,” Doerksen says.

In his capacity at the University of Winnipeg, Loewen is the editor of the Journal of Mennonite Studies and also serves as series editor of the “Ethnicity and Culture History Series” at University of Manitoba Press.

Loewen has authored or co-authored seven books covering a variety of aspects of Mennonite history. Over the years, he has been a research fellow and visiting scholar at academic institutions around the world.

He and his wife, Mary Anne, currently live in Steinbach, MB, where they are members of Steinbach Mennonite Church. They have three adult children: Rebecca, Meg, and Sasha. Loewen and his son operate a small grain farm near Steinbach.

The John and Margaret Friesen Lectures in Anabaptist/Mennonite Studies are co-sponsored by CMU, the Mennonite Heritage Centre, and the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.

At the lecture, selected works by Manitoba artist Lynda Toews will be on display. These works are from “A Place in the Kingdom: Paintings and Stories Celebrating Farm Animals,” an exhibit the Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery is hosting from March 13, 2015 to June 20, 2015.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N2

Tags John and Margaret Friesen Lecture, Lecture, Royden Loewen