What began as a minor in History turned into the pursuit of a master’s degree for Rachel Zehr after she discovered her keen interest in early modern history while taking courses at Grebel. Today, Rachel is working towards an MA in History at the University of Waterloo, where she focuses on identity formation in early modern religious communities.
Last fall, Rachel worked under the supervision of History professor David Neufeld to present an exploration of Erasmus’ Colloquies at the Erasmus Symposium—a virtual collaboration between Mennonite colleges that invited historians to share and engage in discussions on Erasmus. It was through this experience that Rachel was convinced that further studies in History “were not just desired, but necessary.”
“Studying history enriches my experience of this moment in time— this little blip of space that I occupy in the long span of human history,” Rachel explained. Commenting on her research area of early modern religious life, she said “studying this history doesn’t resolve the divisiveness and fracture in the Mennonite communities that I’m in, but it prompts me to attend to those moments where we can lean into difficult conversations and where we can listen to each other well.”
