Categories
General News News Releases

Canadian Mennonite University announces new faculty appointments

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is pleased to announce three new faculty appointments, all to start in their roles on July 1, 2017.

jonathan dueckDr. Jonathan Dueck, Vice President Academic and Academic Dean: Dueck holds a PhD from the University of Alberta in Music (Ethnomusicology). He is currently Assistant Professor of Writing and Deputy Director of Writing in the Disciplines at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., an interdisciplinary position that gives Dueck the opportunity to work with scholars and students in a variety of different faculties. He previously taught at Duke University, the University of Maryland, and the University of Alberta.

Dueck does research in the areas of writing and music. He is coeditor of The Oxford Handbook of Music and World Christianities (2016) and author of Congregational Music, Conflict, and Community (forthcoming 2017, Routledge) as well as Performing Basketball (Oxford, under contract).

He is a graduate of Canadian Mennonite Bible College; during studies at CMBC he also took courses at Concord College and Menno Simons College. With familiarity for all three colleges that merged to form CMU, he looks forward to working at the ongoing development of the university.

“Seeing the institution that CMU has become, and the way that it’s engaging the community and church and world, are really exciting for me, and something I’ve long wanted to be a part of,” Dueck says. “I’m more convinced than ever of the vibrancy, potential, and energy of CMU.”

Dueck brings impressive insight into the good of the university for church and society, says CMU President Cheryl Pauls.

“Dr. Dueck is inspired by the mission entrusted to CMU: centred on Christ, imaginative and wide-ranging in terms of inquiry, oriented toward servanthood and peacebuilding, and inter-culturally engaged,” Pauls says. “The CMU learning community is deeply enthusiastic about the quality education that Jonathan will continue to envision and inspire through CMU.”

Rosemary VogtDr. Rosemary Vogt, Assistant Professor of Business: Vogt holds a PhD in Education, with a concentration in Leadership and Administration, from the University of North Dakota. She has worked as an instructor at CMU and Red River College, and done consulting work in the areas of forging strategic partnerships between industry, government, and higher education; leadership/management development; Indigenous education and training; counseling and conflict resolution; program evaluation; and researching, developing and evaluating policies and programs.

Her research interests include the way universities partner with, and serve the needs of, the communities in which they are situated. She brings considerable practical experience in various community organizations to her role as a business professor.

“I am passionate about students and I am passionate about teaching,” Vogt says. “I’m looking forward to joining the faculty at CMU full-time and investing in the lives of students.”

JMJJames Magnus-Johnston, Instructor of Social Innovation/Director, Centre for Ecological and Economic Resilience (CEER: Magnus-Johnston holds an MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University and has taught political studies and economics at CMU. He is interested in the political, cultural, and institutional shift towards ecological resilience, principally through the application of “steady-state” economic policies.

His research is informed by professional experience in the insolvency field, in policy positions with organizations and lawmakers, and in the communications industry as an editor.

Magnus-Johnston says that one of the things he is looking forward to about his involvement with the CEER is working with students.

“There’s nothing I find more exciting than working one on one with students and finding out what problems they’re seeking answers to,” he says, adding that he enjoys working at CMU because the students are motivated by a greater purpose than making a buck or getting a job.

“CMU is practicing a lot of the change that we want to see in the world,” he says.

 

Other notable CMU faculty updates

  • Assistant Professor of Music Therapy, .5: Michelle Yaciuk
  • Assistant Professor of Music Therapy, .5: Lee-Anne Adams
  • Ongoing appointment as Instructor of Conflict Resolution Studies: Karen Ridd
  • Tenure as Associate Professor of Theology: Dr. Paul Doerksen
 

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 800 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

Categories
General News News Releases

CMU announces $1.7 million Centre for Ecological and Economic Resilience

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to announce the creation of a new centre that will incubate and nurture social enterprises.

The Centre for Ecological and Economic Resilience will develop policy, design, and enterprise innovations for a resilient economy that improves social equity and environmental protection.

The centre will occupy 6,500 square feet of space on the fourth floor of CMU’s building at 500 Shaftesbury Blvd., formerly the School for the Deaf.

“This Centre will serve as a generative hub of partnering social enterprises with mandates towards economic and environmental health and well being,” said CMU President Dr. Cheryl Pauls. “As partnering entities take tenancy in the space they will form a collective incubator.”

“These enterprises also will extend their thinking and doing through partnership with the education, research and service of CMU,” Pauls added. “Diverse fields of study and community engagement will connect through the Centre.”

James Magnus-Johnston, Instructor of Political Studies and Economics at CMU, has been contracted as Director of the Centre.

In addition to his academic background, Magnus-Johnston has entrepreneurial experience as one of the co-owners of Fools & Horses Coffee. He also serves with a number of organizations, including Assiniboine Credit Union, the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy, the Green Action Centre, and Transition Winnipeg. He is also a singer and actor.

“James’ entrepreneurship at the crux of business, economic, environmental, political, societal, cultural, spiritual and performing arts communities rings true in the classroom for CMU students, and will soundly shape the development of this Centre,” Pauls said.

Magnus-Johnston began his work last month and says that one of the things that excites him about the Centre is that it is designed specifically for collaboration.

The Centre will serve as an academic hub, allowing partnering organizations to collaborate on research among other partners at the centre, take part in educational and research seminars, consultations, and conferences, as well as present opportunities for students at the university to take part in various experiential learning or “co-op” options.

“There is a lot of grassroots enthusiasm about this initiative from folks who are interested in taking up residence or collaborating on projects” Magnus-Johnston said. “When you can get innovative thinkers from intersecting disciplines in the same room together, I think we can move some projects forward more effectively.”

Ian Wishart, Manitoba's Minister of Education (left) and Doug Eyolfson, MP for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley, announced the support of the provincial and federal governments for the Centre. President Cheryl Pauls says the Centre will support small enterprises working to make a positive impact in community & environment.
CMU President Cheryl Pauls and CEER Director James Magnus-Johnston are joined by Ian Wishart, Manitoba’s Minister of Education (left) and Doug Eyolfson, MP for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley (right)

Earlier this month, the provincial and federal governments announced more than $1.1 million in joint funding to create the Centre, which will cost about $1.7 million. CMU will contribute the remainder of the balance.

Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart and Doug Eyolfson, MP for Charleswood – St. James – Assiniboia – Headingley joined CMU President Cheryl Pauls at the announcement, which took place on Friday, December 9 on campus in Marpeck Commons.

“Investing in research facilities that create stronger linkages between post-secondary and local research institutions will create new opportunities for Manitoba students to gain hands-on experience and build a promising career,” Wishart said. “We are pleased to support this initiative that will encourage dynamic partnerships and help spur innovation in our economy, while strengthening Manitoba’s position as a leader in environmental stewardship.”

Eyolfson added that the government is proud to support the project.

“This investment is indicative of the important work CMU is doing to focus on the needs of the community, as well as providing students with the education and training they need to join a strong, healthy middle class,” he said.

The Centre for Ecological and Economic Resilience is slated to open in spring 2018.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3-KZsYz5I4[/youtube]

Categories
Face2Face: On Campus – Community in Conversation Video

Face2Face | When Oil Dependency is not Black and White: Contradictions and Possibilities (video)


Recorded September 25, 2015

Context: From cell phones to polyester clothing; cell phones to wind turbines and automobiles… we are embedded in an oil dependent world. Now what? What meaningful choices do we really have? Come hear the personal stories and involvements of an oil industry consultant, an economist and an activist who share their insights and convictions.

Focus: How do we respond to the complex realities of oil dependency in our lives? What simple or complex steps and innovations should we attend to? What choices lie before governments, industry and before each of us as individuals? What kind of ethical framework can guide and assist us?

Panel Members:

  • Marlene Janzen – Is an engineer and owner of Eclipse Geomatics and Engineering LTD; focused on conceptual development studies, front end engineering and preliminary estimates for remote onshore and arctic offshore oil and gas opportunities.
  • James Magnus-Johnston – Is a CMU Instructor of Political Studies and Economics whose research interests lie in ecological resilience, principally through the application of “steady-state” economic policies and carbon reduction strategies.
  • Michael Tyas – Is the Co-Producer of One River, Many Relations, a 48-minute documentary highlighting both the benefits and the harms associated with the Oil Sands from the experience and insights of the Mikisew Cree First Nation and the Dene people of the Athabasca Chipewayn First Nation. A three-minute clip of the documentary will be shown this evening, with a complete screening being planned for a later date at CMU.
Categories
Events Lectures News Releases

Event focusing on oil dependency kicks off 2015-16 discussion series at CMU

Oil industry consultant, economist, and filmmaker featured on panel

Oil dependency is the focus of Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) first Face2Face discussion of 2015-16.

Face2Face.Sept2015Titled “When Oil Dependency is Not Black and White: Contradictions and Possibilities,” the event happens Friday, September 25 at 7:00 PM in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.). Admission is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Face2Face is a series of conversations with CMU faculty, designed to engage the community on a wide variety of current events and issues at the intersection of faith and life.

From cell phones to clothing, and from wind turbines to automobiles, we are embedded in an oil dependent world. The September 25 discussion will explore questions such as: How do we respond to the complex realities of oil dependency in our lives? What choices lie before governments, industry, and before each of us as individuals? What kind of ethical framework can guide and assist us?

Moderated by David Balzer, Assistant Professor of Communications and Media, the event will feature three panelists:

Marlene Janzen – Engineer, owner of Eclipse Geomatics and Engineering LTD; focused on conceptual development studies, front end engineering, and preliminary estimates for remote onshore and arctic offshore oil and gas opportunities.

James Magnus-Johnston – CMU Instructor of Political Studies and Economics; research interests in ecological resilience, principally through the application of “steady-state” economic policies and carbon reduction strategies.

Michael Tyas – Managing editor of One River News; graduated from the University of Manitoba with an honours degree in environmental studies; a professional videographer and video trainer; produced the feature length documentary One River, Many Relations in Fort Chipewyan, AB to tell the stories of people living downstream from oil sands resource extraction.

Balzer says the goal is to have a conversation that draws out some of the complexities surrounding the topic of oil.

“To have someone who’s an oil industry consultant with a deep concern for creation, together with an economist and a documentary filmmaker, feels like it will create a very interesting conversation with some expertise people don’t always have available to them when they’re discussing these issues,” he says.

Magnus-Johnston says he wanted to be a part of the event because he believes everyone is personally responsible when it comes to fossil fuel use.

“Often we want someone to take responsibility for climate change, so we vilify fossil fuel companies or those working in the fossil fuel industry, but when you dig a little deeper, we all are, in fact, contributing to the problem,” Magnus-Johnston says. “So, solutions are not so simple.”

Balzer points out that rather than just being a presentation by the three panelists, the event is meant to be a conversation that includes audience members.

With any luck, the conversation will produce new insights.

“We’re hoping we don’t end up getting caught in a positional debate, but rather that we listen to the panelists, hear what they’re saying, and perhaps look for the creative way forward that may not be present to any of us right now,” Balzer says.

The discussion will be followed at 8:30 PM by an informal reception.

The evening marks the start of CMU’s Fall Festival, a high energy weekend that features opportunities to connect, learn, play, and celebrate with the CMU Community. For more information about Fall Festival, visit www.cmu.ca/fallfest.

“When Oil Dependency is Not Black and White: Contradictions and Possibilities” is the first of four Face2Face events CMU will host during the 2015-16 school year. For details, visit www.cmu.ca/face2face.

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 800 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

Categories
General News News Releases

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

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.

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