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CMU Outtatown program suspended for 2020-21
CMU regrets to announce that the Outtatown Discipleship School program has been suspended for the 2020-21 program year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Outtatown's priority is the safety of its students, staff, and involved communities. The health risks and challenges that COVID-19 poses to a cohort-based travel program, such as physical distancing requirements, travel restrictions, and the uncertainty of a second wave of the virus, mean the program is unable to proceed.
"Outtatown is a signature program of CMU, and it's very sad that we have to suspend it for the year. But a cohort-based program with travel in Canada and to Guatemala simply is not feasible during the COVID pandemic," says Cheryl Pauls, President of CMU.
The 2019-20 Outtatown group returned to Canada in late March after their time in Guatemala was cut short by COVID-19. In June, CMU announced that a modified Outtatown program would begin running in winter 2021. The three-month program was to take place only in Canada, including learning, service, and adventure opportunities, with the potential possibility of travelling to Guatemala afterwards, depending on regulations. Unfortunately, the modified program did not reach the number of student registrations required to run.
"While we are disappointed that the modified Outtatown program will not be running this coming January, we are heartened by the desire of our students to participate in a full year Outtatown program," says Renee Willms, Co-Director of Outtatown.
She explains that many students deferred their enrolment in the program until next year, citing a strong wish to have the full experience. "It is an experience worth waiting for!" Willms says. "We are eagerly looking forward to and actively planning for the day this hope can once again be a reality."
Pauls says she is pleased that Outtatown Co-Directors Renee Willms and Tim Cruickshank will also be working with CMU's Practicum program in the meantime. "They are well-suited for the Practicum program since, like Outtatown, it is based in experiential learning and in the integration of work, study, service, faith, and community," she says.
About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU's Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry, Business Administration, Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development. CMU has 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at its Shaftesbury Campus and Menno Simons College Campus. CMU is a member of Universities Canada.
For information about CMU, visit cmu.ca.
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N2
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