Stories
#myCMUlife | Finding your people at CMU
Life at CMU is full of unexpected lessons. Some come from professors, others from classmates, and many from late-night lounge chats or spontaneous games of hide and seek in the forest. For CMU students Ella, Jewels, and Adalynne, living and learning on campus has been just as much about personal growth as it has been about academics.
Ella doesn't just participate in student life—she's practically the poster child for it. "How much time do you have?" she joked, before listing off an impressive roster of roles: soccer and futsal player, Indigenous student leader, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion volunteer, member of the Music Student Association, CMQ, Arts and Entertainment, and the list goes on. Somehow, she does it all and still manages to sound genuinely joyful about it.
Jewels keeps busy too, but with a slightly different flavour. She works as a barista at folio café on CMU's campus and sings in two CMU choirs. Adalynne brings a thoughtful energy to their many contributions. They've volunteered in the student-run Blaurock Café and Meraki Maker Space, performed at coffeehouses, and played in the Mennonite Community Orchestra. "It's been a really nice experience," they said simply, the kind of understatement that hints at something richer beneath the surface.
CMU’s social work degree makes a difference
Nya Dubyk never thought she would be a social worker.
"I was actually quite skeptical about going into any social work program because I'm aware of the harms that have happened under the 'social work' title," says the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) student.
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#myCMUlife | Sustainability at CMU
With sustainable practices at the heart of many CMU students' values, it's no wonder there is a student group on campus dedicated to peace and sustainability.
The peace and sustainability committee, in collaboration with the arts and entertainment committee, holds a week-long festival every year with education and events to engage students in sustainability. This year's festival included a thrift store trip, a fashion show, a winter cycling workshop, a market, and last but certainly not least, a dumpster diving excursion.
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Mennonite mischief: CMU’s April fools campus capers (Winnipeg Free Press)
A dorm bathroom filled with Jell-O. A doctored graduation composite with a non-existent student's name and portrait. The transformation of a school hallway into a public park with sod, trees and benches.
These are among the legendary pranks that have taken place at Canadian Mennonite University since its early inception.
For students and academics alike, April 1 marks the winding down of the winter term and an opportunity to keep up a longtime tradition of pulling practical jokes on the Shaftesbury campus.
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#myCMUlife | Lost and found in translations: The international student experience
Philosophy books, lasting friendships, faint echoes of laughter, and the comforting scent of hot chocolate while rushing in the hallways...
As I make my way to my evening class on the north side of CMU's campus, I let flickers of past and present memories wash over me. The castle building looms in front of me, still as massive and beautiful as the first day I saw it. I get distracted by the beauty of the snow surrounding me, sparkling and looking like fairy dust in the faint light surrounding the pathways. I breathe out loudly to see the cloud made by the cold air and laugh childishly. Having previously lived on a tropical island where sunshine prevails for most of the year, winter is truly captivating, particularly to those who encounter snow only upon arriving in Canada.
Being an international student is no easy feat. Being away from your family and everything you know, while balancing part-time work and the pressure to excel academically, can be overwhelming. However, my CMU experience was transformed by its strong sense of community. I made a few friends within the first few days of university, not knowing that they would become life-long friends of mine. I remember the short presentations on how to prepare for the academic year and ensure success, along with the campus tours led by faculty members that helped ease the transition. Before long, I was familiar with all the buildings and rushing to my first few classes.
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