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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 ��ݮ��Ƶ. 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 ��ݮ��Ƶ 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 ��ݮ��Ƶ 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 ��ݮ��Ƶ 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 ��ݮ��Ƶ 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 ��ݮ��Ƶ 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. 

Mark Diller Harder (BA 1989) is a pastor at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church. In preparation for ministry, Mark studied at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. His journey with pastoral ministry has been extensively rewarding, as he found acceptance and kinship in many diverse communities, including Welcome Inn Community Centre and Church, the Men’s Hostel at House of Friendship, Stirling Ave. Mennonite Church, First Mennonite Church, and St Jacobs Mennonite Church. Mark has a deep connection to music, holding an Associate of Music in Piano Performance. He also sings with and is currently President and Assistant Director of Menno Singers. 

Connor Huxman (BASc 2020) is a PhD candidate at Penn State University, conducting research and innovating new designs for orthopedic implants. His time studying biomedical engineering and visual art at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, together with his medical device industry co-op placements, has helped launch a career in orthopedics engineering. He has since participated in, and won, international pitch competitions, and is leading the entrepreneurial efforts of his research. In his free time, Connor enjoys traveling with his fiancée, both internationally and through road trips in their converted camper truck across North America.

Staying focused on values learned at Grebel, Panteli Tritchew (BA 1979, MA 1981) has built community in the classroom and boardroom throughout his teaching career. After a number of corporate jobs in technical writing, Panteli spent the remainder of his career as an educator and administrator in communications at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia. He credits the Grebel experience for igniting his enthusiasm for learning and inspiring his desire to effect change.