From peacebuilding to conservation: A CMU alum’s journey of justice, community, and care for creation
25 at 25 | Aaron Janzen (CMU '08)
Aaron Janzen (CMU ’08) completed a BA in Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies. His CMU education nurtured his sense of justice and care for creation, shaping his career in environmental conservation. Now a senior field campaigner with Oceans North, he works to protect marine and freshwater ecosystems in collaboration with northern communities.
Aaron Janzen knows being an environmentalist is as much about working with people as it is with the land.
The self-described "social scientist type-person," graduated from CMU in 2008, majoring in Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies (PACTS).
Since then, he's gone on to serve with Mennonite Central Committee, started a consulting firm focusing on wildfire issues, and now works as a senior field campaigner with Oceans North, a national environmental conservation NGO specializing in marine and coastal regions.
"I've always kind of had an environmental kind of focus to my perceptions of justice and the world," Janzen says. To him, the lines between PACTS, working with people, and environmentalism are thin and blurry—effectively the same.
For Janzen, this all began when he made the move from the small community of Coaldale, AB, to the hustle and bustle of Winnipeg. "I think it was pretty clear that there was like a strong social justice community here, and I think that was reflected in the kinds of cultural or counter-cultural elements at CMU at the time."
"I think at CMU I really developed my perception of social justice and at a community level, at a grassroots level, how important that is and how important authentic connection is to work on challenging issues," Janzen says.
Recent projects for Oceans North in Churchill, MB and Nunavut have focused on sustainable harvesting, beluga conservation, and freshwater stewardship.
A significant part of his job with Oceans North involves working with communities that are often isolated and suspicious of strangers offering regulations or advice.
Despite this, Janzen says his people-centred approach to conservation has helped facilitate some of the most rewarding experiences of his career.
"I'm always striving to make connections and authentic connections and so finding ways to do that is keeping my role."
"CMU laid a foundation for me developing my sense of my ethics, how I should act in the world. And it's kind of probably the reason why I've almost exclusively worked in non-profits."
Considering Janzen's vocational approach, it's not surprising to hear that small class sizes were what initially drew him to CMU. He says the intimacy of the classroom created a camaraderie that felt authentic and helped guide him towards a career that didn't just serve himself but the community.
The friendships and values forged there, he adds, remain central to his career—right down to meeting his partner on campus.