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Conrad Grebel University College is pleased to have nominated Setsuko Thurlow for an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree (LLD) from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ for her outstanding contribution to society as an advocate for peace and nuclear disarmament.

In April, the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ hosted its 10^th��annual��Teaching and Learning Conference. Each year, the conference brings together instructors from a variety of faculties and departments to share research and teaching strategies through interactive workshops and panel discussions.

Each April, the community at Conrad Grebel University College gathers together to recognize the achievements of all graduating students who have been involved in the College’s residence or academic programs, at both graduate and undergraduate levels. The Convocation ceremony took a surprise turn this year, as a rare mid-April ice storm shut down the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and Grebel for three days. With the celebration scheduled to take place right in the middle of the storm, the event was cancelled for everyone’s safety. About 70 students and a few of their families held an impromptu gathering at Grebel.�� This provided an opportunity for them to hear valedictorian Jared Baribeau deliver his address. Jared left Canada the next day to work in Cambodia for Demine Robotics.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, on April 20 Conrad Grebel University College hosted a sold-out gala dinner featuring the Honourable Bob Rae as keynote speaker. Focusing on the theme of “Pursuing Peace: Stories from Home and Abroad,” the evening included alumni stories, acknowledgements of those who have impacted the PACS program, as well as Bob Rae’s reflections on the pursuit of peace.

Professor Emeritus Werner O. Packull passed away on April 27, 2018 at the age of 76. Werner began his teaching career at Renison College at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and later moved to Grebel. Upon the urging of former president Rod Sawatsky, Werner joined the Grebel faculty in 1983 to teach Reformation history and pursue Anabaptist studies. He was a mentor to many, and his passionate teaching inspired generations of students.

Musicologist Dr. Katherine Kennedy Steiner will join Conrad Grebel University College’s faculty as Assistant Professor of Music, starting July 1, 2018. Teaching a range of courses from broad musicology surveys, to music of the Renaissance and medieval eras, to church music and worship, Steiner will engage with diverse groups of students across the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ campus. She will also direct the College’s Chapel Choir.

The Institute of Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies at Conrad Grebel University College announces the 2018/2019 recipient of the J. Winfield Fretz Fellowship in Mennonite Studies, Dr. Ben Nobbs-Thiessen.�� A Latin American historian whose research focuses on the evolving history of the low-German Mennonite diaspora in the region, he completed his PhD at Emory University in 2016 and is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University.��

Conrad Grebel University College is hiring for 3 contract positions! The Office Assistant and Receptionist (9-month contract) ensures that the main office runs smoothly and efficiently while providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere to students and visitors. The Conference, Bookings, and Events Coordinator (10-month contract) ensures that conferences and events are well-planned and organized. The Administrative Assistant to Theological Studies & the Anabaptist Learning Workshop (2-year contract) is responsible for attending to the administrative tasks that of the Theological Studies department and the ALW program. This position requires an individual with strong organizational skills, excellent interpersonal skills and outstanding attention to detail. Apply by April 25, 2018. Read complete job descriptions at .

In North American Mennonite theological education, a regional focus is emerging as students prefer to access seminary education closer to home. Uprooting families and finding employment for a spouse in another country have become increasingly difficult.

To address this reality for students and to serve the changing needs of the church, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana, and Conrad Grebel University College in ��ݮ��Ƶ, Ontario, have established a collaborative arrangement in which Canadian students can use the same course credits to earn sequential degrees from both Grebel and AMBS.

Working toward reconciliation with Indigenous neighbours takes time and requires building awareness and understanding. Following the report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Justice Murray Sinclair issued this challenge: “We have described for you the mountain. We have shown you the path to the top. We call upon you to do the climbing.”

Representatives of Anglican, United, Lutheran, and Mennonite Settler communities are lacing up for the climb. Muriel Bechtel, a retired Mennonite pastor says, “We are well aware that re-educating ourselves about our colonial history takes courage. We believe building awareness is a vital step in the reconciliation process for churches, governments, and all people who call this land our home.

Four productions of Discovery: A Comic Lament will occur in ��ݮ��Ƶ Region from May 31 to June 3. As chair of the planning committee, Bechtel says “Only as we acknowledge our complicity in the displacement and dispossession of Indigenous communities, will we be able to move beyond our paralysis and confusion to deeper listening and action in partnership with Indigenous-led healing and justice efforts. We believe that this drama will inspire and motivate us for the climb ahead.”