Alumni

When one hears of a hymn sing, university students spending their evening singing from a hymnal is rarely the first image that comes to mind. However, at Conrad Grebel University College, students have organized Sunday evening hymn sings for several years.

Helen Martens, Conrad Grebel University College’s first music faculty member, passed away on Thursday, April 9 at the age of 92, surrounded by family in Winnipeg. She last visited Grebel in 2013 during the College’s 50th anniversary.

Grebel staff and faculty remember Helen Martens for her extensive contributions to the Music Department and the College community.

On March 11, three Grebel students competed in the C. Henry Smith Oratorical Contest. This Peace Speeches competition invites students from Mennonite and Be in Christ colleges and universities across Canada and the United States to present speeches exploring the application of the Christian peace position to contemporary concerns.

The Mennonite Historical Society of Canada is utilizing the resources of Mennonite universities in Canada to research and write an updated history book on the history of Mennonites in Canada from 1970-2020. They have invited Conrad Grebel University College (Grebel) Archivist-Librarian Laureen Harder-Gissing to co-author this book with Brian Froese, Associate Professor of History at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU).

Lukas Wormald of the Waterloo Warriors swim team has called Conrad Grebel University College home for the last two years. Lukas is in his second year of mechatronics engineering at the University of Waterloo and appreciates how living at Grebel suits his busy schedule.

Facilitating engaging classes is just one of the ways that Lowell Ewert cares for and supports students in achieving their goals. Lowell is Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) at Conrad Grebel University College and the University of Waterloo. Originally a lawyer, he researches the ways that peace interacts with human rights, law, and civil society. His teaching and in-class discussions empower students to apply what they are learning in whatever vocation they find themselves.