Grebel residents are students at the University of Waterloo, studying in one of the six faculties (Arts, Engineering, Science, Mathematics, Environment, and Applied Health Sciences) and receive a University of Waterloo degree at the end of their studies. As a result, student life at Grebel is a mix of fascinating people from diverse backgrounds with a huge expanse of interests. Grebel is part of the HeForShe campaign—a global effort to remove social and cultural barriers that prevent women and girls from achieving their potential and together positively reshaping society. Grebel and UWaterloo aim to boost female student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) experiences to increase the potential for future female leaders in traditionally male-dominated disciplines.
“At Grebel, we are committed to caring for the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of our students,” noted director of student services Mary Brubaker-Zehr. “STEM students thrive in our environment because they readily find the right balance between hard, disciplined, focused study and nurturing their emotional, physical, and social needs.”
Meet some of our STEM students!
“Grebel has always seemed like a place I would love,” reflected first year Mechanical Engineering student Amanda Enns. “The community is truly what makes Grebel so unique!! I’ve made many friends and have had so many great experiences here—I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!” While attending university, many students are pleased to have space at Grebel to grow their faith—through Chapel services, Bible studies, and service trips. “I’ve found God in unexpected places,” said Amanda. “I’ve felt God’s presence during impromptu worship jam sessions with friends, in the kindness and generosity of others, and outside, especially walking to class.”
Defying the trend of a 75 percent male program, Katrina Sikkens choose to study Nanotechnology Engineering because of the program’s coop job opportunities and reputation. “I enjoy nanotechnology because of the broad range of subjects taught,” she remarked. “It has smaller class sizes with the opportunity to get to know your classmates.” And when looking for a place to live on campus, it was the welcoming community at Grebel that first piqued her interest.
“What drew me t
o Grebel was its peaceful and community-oriented atmosphere,” explained Charly Phillips, a first year Biomedical Engineering student. “I think it’s important to surround yourself with a diverse crowd of people, especially if you’re in engineering, since we need to cross inter-disciplinary boundaries.” The Grebel student community is supportive and nurturing. “It’s a blessing to come back to Grebel at the end of the day. Grebel has definitely helped me to balance my life!” noted Charly. “I struggled with Calculus last term and thought I was the only one. But encouragement from upper-years at Grebel who had a similar experiences gave me the motivation to keep working at it.”
Sonya Dyck was “drawn to the University of Waterloo for its world-renowned reputation as an innovative and high quality university. I knew that coming here would mean learning from world-class professors and receiving an excellent education.” As a Biomedical Science student, Sonya has pushed her comfort zone by taking courses that sounded daunting, like molecular biology. As she prepares for her next step after graduation, Sonya is applying to become a Nurse Practitioner. “The past four years at Grebel have been a season of growth, both academically and spiritually,” reflected Sonya. “Not only have I tackled courses that I didn’t know existed, but I had the opportunity to take on leadership roles which stretched and challenged me.”
