Spring at Conrad Grebel University College has been filled with fond memories of the past, as several gatherings of alumni have been held on and off the College’s grounds. These events give Grebelites the opportunity to reconnect with former roommates, classmates, and faculty members, strengthening the longstanding community of the College.
If it wasn’t for Grebel’s stance on welcoming all people from different backgrounds – 2SLGBTQ+ people, people of colour and & marginalised races, international students, students with accessibility needs, and people from all walks of faith – I would not have considered living here.
“I had never contemplated being a lawyer. Not once. Not growing up, not as a teenager, not until the very end of my undergrad studies,” said Brad Regehr (BA 1993) who is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, a partner at Maurice Law, and former President of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA).
Early on a gloomy Saturday morning in late May, a group of eager Conrad Grebel University College students rolled up their sleeves and began spreading icing on hundreds of cream buns and long johns. Working tirelessly without stopping – not for the rain, not for friends who stopped by, and not even for a taste of the sweet treats – these students volunteered to work in the cream bun tent at the 2024 New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale.
Imogen Sloss, an undergraduate student who recently completed a degree double majoring in PACS and Psychology, has been awarded the Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal for the highest GPA of the 2024 graduating Arts students at the University of Waterloo. The award recognizes a student graduating from the Faculty of Arts with the highest overall average. Imogen also attained the top cumulative average of all Arts students who finished in spring 2023, fall 2023, and winter 2024— by extension, she is also receiving the Department Award for Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) and the Currie Scholarship. When asked how it felt to be recognized for such achievements, she shared, “I was shocked to be the recipient of these awards and felt rewarded for my hard work over the past four years.” Imogen continued, “I am someone who loves learning, and have so benefitted from my experience as a student at Waterloo and Grebel.”
The date of convocation has arrived, and Conrad Grebel University College faculty, staff, and students recognize the hard work and achievements of Grebel’s graduating class of 2024. The University of Waterloo is proud to present the class of graduates at its Convocation Services, which are recognizing the achievements of several notable individuals with ties to Grebel. “Our hope at Grebel is that students will develop as whole people, and thriving academically is an important part of that whole,” explained Jessica Reesor Rempel, Director of Student Services at Grebel. “It is exciting to see that these students who took the time to engage as student leaders in Grebel’s academic and residence programs also excelled academically during their time at University.”
Corwin Cambray (BA 1967, MA 1973) has stood by the phrase “community and the public, first and always,” for as long as he can remember. Throughout his undergraduate studies, a career in public service, and his involvement in church and local organizations, he has continuously embodied this value. Corwin received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Regional and Resource Planning from the University of Waterloo and was both a resident and the first Student Council President of Conrad Grebel College.
Christine Brubaker (BA 1992) considers her acceptance into the National Theatre School of Canada after her undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo and Conrad Grebel University College to be a pivotal moment. “It changed my path,” she shared. “It gave me the opportunity to do something I'd always loved but never been able to really conceive of doing.” At a crossroads while completing her Bachelor of Arts degree, Christine assessed the direction of education and noted, “administration was the thing I was supposed to be doing but drama was the love interest.” Leaning toward a less regimented path, Christine began a dynamic acting career that led to directing, and eventually a place within academics. She is currently Associate Professor at University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts.
“There are a variety of injustices different people face,” said Lucas Shumaker, a third- year Environmental Engineering student at the University of Waterloo from Lancaster, PA. “Sometimes, certain problems are somewhat invisible to those who don’t face them.” At Grebel’s April End-of-Term Banquet, Lucas was presented with the 2024 Abundance Canada’s Spirit of Generosity Award, which is given to students who have been generous with their time and talents in the Conrad Grebel University College community and beyond.
Neil Thomas (BA 2013) described his undergraduate experience to be “much more about understanding who I was and building relationships, than it was about the classes that I attended.” Although he recognized that the goal of coming to university was higher education, at Grebel, Neil found that it was “also a really good opportunity and point in somebody's life to figure out who they are, and how they can become a functioning adult in the community.” This is a lesson he took to heart, as he now assists others through some of the most difficult and critical moments of their lives, working as a Crisis and Outreach Clinician in Oxford County for the Canadian Mental Health Association of Thames Valley.