Welcome to Grebel

E. Paul Penner, a pillar of Grebel, retired in March 2024, leaving a legacy of commitment, care, and hospitality, as well as memories of pranks, laughter, and classic movie nights. Before his 36-year career in operations, Paul was a University of Waterloo student (BA 1983) who lived at Conrad Grebel University College while studying Economics and Sociology. His service to the College began while a student, serving as Student Council President in 1982-83. After graduating, Paul worked in maintenance in the St. Clair-O’Connor Community as Environmental and Maintenance Services Supervisor and Apartment Rental Coordinator. He completed his Certificate in Business at the University of Toronto in 1987. He returned to Grebel in 1988 as Business Manager, then transitioned to Operations Manager in 1995, and finally to Director of Operations. His primary responsibilities were managing the staff, operations, and buildings of the College, but to Paul, the job was a mission of hospitality, service, and community-building. 

“I really loved the movie, Cars. When I became a member of the Grebel Orientation Committee, I knew straight away that Cars simply had to be the O-Week theme,” explained Isabel Song, a third-year Honours Science student who lives at Conrad Grebel University College. “Planning O-Week required significant time and effort, but when I sat in the Grebel dining hall, watching the movie Cars, surrounded by Cars-themed decorations, people wearing Cars-themed t-shirts, after a week of Cars-themed games, and skits performed by people in Cars-themed costumes, I knew it was all worth it.” 

“In 2004, when we started Orchestra@UWaterloo, we had a conductor, Erna Van Daele, and a concertmaster, new faculty member Romy Shioda, but really nothing else — no budget and no rehearsal space. Luckily, Catharine Scott, Associate Provost of Human Resources and Student Services, was willing to support me — a computer science prof with the unlikely ambition to manage an orchestra,” reflected Anna Lubiw, one of the professors who started Orchestra@UWaterloo.