Stories
How a local professor spent 20 years exploring the meaning of 'Oh My God'
Does the phrase "Oh my God" offend you? Have you ever wondered how it became something that people blurt out multiple times a day?
David Balzer, an associate professor of communications and media at Canadian Mennonite University and a storyteller at heart, is preparing to release an audio documentary that will answer all of these questions and more.
#myCMUlife | Finding purpose through music
If you would have asked me back in 2020 where I saw myself in five years, your guess would've been as good as mine. I've always been indecisive, but with the world in disarray, nobody knew what the future had in store. However, I do know my response would have involved doing something I'm passionate about, helping others, and making a difference. Still, I wouldn't have believed it if you'd told me I would be back at school, studying music no less, and just ten minutes down the road from me. Yet here I am, a CMU student looking to become a music therapist.
I have always had a passion for music and art. My mom is an artist, so she raised us surrounded by all kinds of music and art. My favourite childhood show was The Wiggles—need I say more? One of the only after-school activities I was ever in was elementary school choir, and I sang in school talent shows even though my anxiety made it extremely scary. Looking back now, I realize I should have taken band in middle school. I was a bit scared of the commitment to something so foreign, since reading music wasn't something I felt confident doing. Plus it felt like I didn't have the time for the early mornings and late after-school practices. So, I just continued to sing literally everywhere I went, if I could, and I began collecting instruments in hopes of learning how to play on my own (unsuccessfully, I might add). Because when I sing or play, I feel something deep inside connecting me to the music.
CMU Press celebrates 50 years of publishing
CMU Press, an academic publisher of scholarly, reference, literary, and general interest books at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), reached its 50th anniversary in 2024. It has produced over 100 books since its inception, a remarkable feat in an industry that can be gruelling for small publishers.
Blazers Athletics produce top-tier student athletes
The Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Blazers Athletics program has figured it out.
Last season, in particular, was a cut above the rest. Over half the teams from a variety of sports made conference finals, the women's volleyball team made an appearance at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships, while the men's basketball team won gold with its first Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) championship since 2017.
CMU faculty awarded King Charles III’s Coronation Medal
Dr. Stephanie Stobbe, Associate Professor and Chair of Conflict Resolution Studies at Canadian Mennonite University, has been awarded the King Charles III's Coronation Medal for her work on the Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees exhibition.