Convocation 2021 Virtual Program

Dear Conrad Grebel and University of Waterloo Graduates of 2020,

Congratulations and best wishes to you on behalf of the entire staff and faculty of Conrad Grebel University College. We invite you to take a moment to commemorate the milestone of your graduation with us, your family, and your friends. Completing a degree in the middle of a global pandemic is no small achievement.

One of our goals at Conrad Grebel is to challenge students to integrate values such as service, compassion, and community into their individual academic and career pursuits. The past year of pandemic and lockdown has revealed the relevance of those values in unexpected ways, and I’m inspired by the character and resilience all of you have demonstrated this past year.

You’ve supported each other in hard times, encouraged each other, and learned the hard skills of compassion, resilience, and empathy. You’ve reached beyond yourselves towards the needs of others by becoming involved in a host of community and social concerns. You have learned to ask “Who is my neighbour?”

As alumni, you will always have a place here at Grebel. We hope you will stay in touch with us, and remember that you are always part of this community.
The very best to each of you,

Marcus Shantz
President

Dear Graduates of 2021,

What a tumultuous time to graduate!

As with all graduating classes which preceded you, you spent years challenged by the rigors of an academic program, met new people, and had your thinking stretched in new directions. But you have had to face these challenges compounded with online learning, video lectures, masks, public health constraints, and the many other impacts on your lives, your work, your families, and your community.

The remarkable living and learning community created by Grebel students, staff and faculty enables all of you, as graduates, to be engaged citizens for a better world. Sharing meals, discussing all manner of ideas, worshiping together, and supporting each other, both in your academics and in the difficulties of the pandemic, has created a set of memories and experiences that you will draw upon for the rest of your lives. Continue to build on that resilient foundation.

The Board of Governors wishes you all the best as you begin the next stage of your life, wherever this may lead, whether towards further studies, employment, or volunteer opportunities. No matter which path you take, Grebel has provided you with an excellent foundation to live in community, to think critically, and contribute to society.

Celebrate your great accomplishments today and let your light shine through the darkness.

Paul Fieguth
Chair of the Board of Conrad Grebel University College

Cheers to the graduating class of 2021!

We alumni have sent our congratulations wishes in a separate note. I won’t repeat that but here but I do wish to reiterate our best wishes for you in your futures.

You are graduating at a time when all of us are learning how to live into a new reality. We are learning in new ways what is working and what is not. Among many other things, this reality brings into sharp focus the contributions different disciplines make to the world. What a unique kind of reflection this can bring!

Some of you will be entering the job market, others may be continuing studies, and some may be taking time off to think about what will come next. No matter where your journey takes you, we wish you all the best that the future has to offer. We hope that the experiences, learning and relationships you cultivated while at Grebel will anchor you to help you be the change you wish to see in the world.

We are excited to see where your future leads and hope that you will stay connected with the Grebel community as you move forward.

Congratulations!

Nancy Dykstra
Chair Conrad Grebel Alumni Committee

Dear Graduates,

Congratulations on your achievement! You have channeled your curiosity and passion for learning into your courses and research, and have worked with determination to reach a significant milestone.

My prayer for you is that you put the values you learned at Conrad Grebel University College of community, of peace infused with justice, and of love for others into action in everything you do.

Bring these values to AI research, theological study, church leadership, social innovation, to teaching or wherever else you bring your professional and personal skills. The world needs you!

Blessings to you as you now move on to the next steps of your academic, professional, and personal journeys.

In peace,

Leah Reesor-Keller
Executive Minister Mennonite Church Eastern Canada

Dear Graduands, Families, and Friends,

On behalf of our entire University of Waterloo community, I am delighted to extend our sincere congratulations as you celebrate your convocation.

Throughout your time at Conrad Grebel University College and the University of Waterloo, our goal has been to prepare you for what lies ahead, by supporting your development as learners, thinkers, team players, and innovators. You have come so far, and as you celebrate this profound milestone, our entire community delights in your success. In this uniquely challenging year, you should be especially proud of your accomplishments.

As you know, the University of Waterloo stands as a proud partner with Conrad Grebel in its search for justice, wisdom, and peace for the world, and in delivering the educational experience that will help you advance these causes throughout your lives. As the world grapples with the repercussions of an unprecedented global pandemic, this work will be more important than ever.

An invaluable part of what this campus community stands for is the spirit of collaboration and co-operation, which is at the heart of the University of Waterloo’s relationship with Conrad Grebel University College. In preparing for your next steps, be they toward workplace, travel, or the next phase of your education here or abroad, know that you are not alone: you remain a special part of our University of Waterloo community.

Thank you for the time and effort you have invested here. We hope that you have been challenged, enriched, and warmly supported.

I wish you and your families good health, happiness, and every success.

Yours sincerely,

Feridun Hamdullahpur
President and Vice-Chancellor