News

Faculty and students in the Master of Theological Studies (MTS) program at Conrad Grebel University College have found that conversations between those with different approaches to Christianity are a valuable learning experience. Class discussions about the Bible, Christian theology, ministry, and church history are all enriched due to diverse approaches to Christianity from both students and professors.

Every Sunday night for an hour, students from the Conrad Grebel community come together for a hymn sing to create and learn music together. Because of the pandemic, students gather outside with masks, but they bring the same excitement and love of music. With the upcoming release of the new Mennonite Hymnal, Voices Together, there is little doubt that Grebel students will engage with the new music as they have with the old.

Good mental health is achieved through many habits like a healthy diet, exercise, connecting with others, expressing emotions in constructive ways, and the list goes on. Many of these habits can involve creating or listening to music. Of the many benefits music has on mental health, the most noticeable is the release of stress and emotions. 

Gathering to create, share, and experience music together is an important part of the Conrad Grebel University College community. In an effort to stay connected and fulfill musical wishes, Grebel’s Noon Hour Concert series will go virtual for the fall 2020 term.

The run-up to the fall 2020 school year is like nothing Conrad Grebel University College has experienced before. After six months of varying degrees of isolation and social distancing, Grebel is welcoming a small cohort of students to the residence while offering courses remotely. Although summer is traditionally a slower time at the College, this year, faculty and staff spent that time optimizing courses to be taught online, poring over potential residence scenarios, and ensuring that the facilities and opening procedures will provide the most safe and healthy environment possible for the entire Grebel community.

The high value Laura Gray places on her students is obvious inside the classroom and out. Laura is associate professor of Music at Conrad Grebel University College and the University of Waterloo, serving as chair of the Music Department for nine of her 22 years at Grebel.

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.

When assignments pile up and due dates loom, the act of writing can become a stressful task for university students. Emilie Chase and her fellow GrebelSpeaks team have been working to change that. GrebelSpeaks is Conrad Grebel University College’s monthly publication that is written for Grebel students by Grebel students.

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.