Alumni

For Muslim students at the University of Waterloo, long spans of fasting during the longest days of the year are over and may already feel like a distant memory. However, it was just a few weeks ago that students were stretching the limits of their bodies as they refrained from eating or drinking each day while the sun was up. This religious practice during Ramadan becomes even more difficult for university students living away from the support of their families for the first time.

This summer, a celebration of hymnody will coincide with the 500th anniversary of the Reformation at the annual Hymn Society conference to be held at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, July 16-20. Attracting hundreds of hymn aficionados, the conference will revolve around the theme: “Now Thank We All Our God: Celebrating Congregational Song since the Reformation.”

In a quest for increased and updated kitchen and dining room space, the Conrad Grebel University College Board of Governors has approved a kitchen and dining room expansion and renovation architectural feasibility study.  After careful review, the College has engaged Moriyama and Teshima Architects (MTA) to lead the study.  MTA is one of the most prestigious architectural firms in Canada. They have led similar studies for organizations around the world including many colleges and universities in Ontario. They also have significant experience with the assessment, renovation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings.

A strategic plan vision is realized for Mennonite Studies at Conrad Grebel University College as the new "J. Winfield Fretz Fellowship in Mennonite Studies" is announced.  The Fellowship, to be awarded annually, will support visiting scholars as they engage in research, teaching, and relationship building between the College and academic and community audiences around Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies themes. Funding from the Fellowship will also provide support for special projects at the College initiated by the Institute of Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies (IAMS).

University of Waterloo students and staff gathered for a vigil on Friday, March 31, 2017 at the Student Life Centre to honour the lives of students lost to suicide and raise mental-health awareness.

During recent days we have shared the widespread sorrow and concern about attitudes, policies, and actions that have resulted in suspicion, fear, violence, and death.  We have stopped in silence and prayer to grieve the deaths, wounds, and shattered families of Muslims in Quebec City who were attacked while gathered with their community for prayer. We have stood and walked in solidarity with those expressing outrage and profound concern about the statements and policies of leaders who foster suspicion, fear, division, and exclusion by closing borders and revoking visas.

A website showcasing 80,000 photographs of Mennonite life was shortlisted for the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming. The Mennonite Archival Image Database (MAID) is a partnership of eight Mennonite archives.

A presidential search process for Conrad Grebel University College is well underway to replace Susan Schultz Huxman who was recruited to serve as president at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia. Jim Pankratz began his role as interim president following the annual general meeting on October 1, 2016 and will serve until a successful candidate is in place.

President Susan Schultz Huxman has announced that Jane Kuepfer was named the Schlegel Specialist in Spirituality and Aging, a joint half time position between Conrad Grebel University College and the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) at the University of Waterloo.

Conrad Grebel University College in the University of Waterloo invites applications for a full-time regular faculty position in Music Theory in the Department of Music, to begin July 1, 2017.  Review of applications will begin November 1, 2016. This is a regular, full-time, tenure-track position that involves undergraduate teaching, scholarship, service, and community education.  The core teaching area is Music Theory which includes direction and oversight of the music theory program and courses in music theory.  In addition, teaching may include compositio