News

To capture the spirit of Grebel residence life over six decades, we reached out to former Student Council Presidents to reflect on their time in office. We asked about the student body’s key concerns, Grebel’s biggest challenges, and their most significant achievements. They also shared memories of the social and political climate on campus, key traditions, and unexpected moments. While memories may have faded, these reflections offer a window into Grebel’s past and may spark your own recollections. 

The College is marking the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement. This brief article draws attention to the ways that both Grebel and the Centre for Peace Advancement have welcomed affiliate organizations, providing a home for mission-aligned professionals in addition to students, staff, and faculty. 

Grebel Buildings and Renovations over the 60 years of Grebel's history. 

The first building at Grebel was the student residence. It turned 60 years old this year, with sixty-year old plumbing, heating, washrooms, and so on. Many of our building systems are well past their expected service life, and their time is almost up. We recently refurbished the kitchen and dining hall, and it’s now time to renew the residence itself to serve future generations of students and guests.

Deepak Wanner (BASC 1986) is a serial entrepreneur who started five technology companies throughout his dynamic career. Deepak lived at Grebel while earning his BASC at the University of Waterloo, and the values he picked up around the dinner table stuck with him as he became a prominent leader in his technological endeavours. He takes pride in his family and the strong values of community, sharing, and social responsibility that he has passed down.

The second week of September is Mennonite Heritage Week. At Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario, this week is an occasion to share about Mennonite history and culture. Offering several ways to engage with Mennonite history, the College is hosting a book launch this week has two Mennonite-themed exhibits on display.

“Grebel has been interwoven with my vocational path in powerful ways,” Barb Smith-Morrison (BA 1994, MTS 2008) shared. Barb arrived at Conrad Grebel University College in her first year of university with a calling to pastoral ministry that grew out of United Church youth camp experiences. She had little experience being part of a congregation or intergenerational faith community and Grebel was her first introduction to the Mennonite tradition. "The College introduced me to the faith tradition in which I made a home,” Barb shared. Previously working for Grebel as the Interim Dean of Students from 1994-1996, and as a pastor within Mennonite Church Eastern Canada for 28 years,  Barb is now the Executive Director of Brooksong Retreat and Cancer Support Centre, located in the Haliburton Highlands.

“Sharing aviation with others” are words that Jessalyn Teed (BES 2017) has long stood by, navigating through a career in aviation that started in the Geography and Aviation Program at the University of Waterloo. She is currently a Pilot at Sunwing Airlines, where she supports newcomer pilots through building and assisting a mentorship program, where she connects with each new pilot and fosters a support network for their success. “This is one of the pieces of my role I am most passionate about, and find fulfilling, in my career,” Jessalyn described. “I look back to my time at Conrad Grebel University College, where I was a Don and supported residents through a challenging, transitional experience – and the skills built from being a Don have helped me both identify and utilize this passion to support others through new experiences.” 

Congratulations to Ellen Marguerite Siebel-Achenbach on receiving The Sandra Burt Prize in Gender and Social Justice for her project on “Sisters of Wisdom: Female Hymnists of the Middle Ages.” Ellen graduated from the University of Waterloo in 2023 with a double major in Visual Culture and Medieval Studies and minors in both Fine Arts Studio and Church Music and Worship (CMW). She recently finished her master's degree in Art History at the University of Toronto.