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Get to know CMU’s new Director of Student Life
A profile of Charlie Peronto
Charlie Peronto: CMU's Director of Student Life
Charlie Peronto became CMU's Director of Student Life on July 1, following the retirement of long-time Dean of Student Life, Marilyn Peters Kliewer. Peronto began working at CMU in 2014 as Residence Director and quickly became an essential part of the campus community.
Peronto grew up in southern Wisconsin, but moved to Manitoba when he got married. Before starting at CMU, he was a pastor at a Mennonite Brethren church and lived in Churchill for several years, working in community health, construction, and with the airline. He began studying at CMU's Graduate School of Theology and Ministry in 2013 and continued his studies part-time over the six years he worked as Residence Director, graduating last spring with a Master of Arts in Theology. He lives in Winnipeg with his wife Jocelyn and their dog, Norman. They attend FaithWorks.
Having previously worked primarily with students living on campus, Peronto is looking forward to the expanded opportunities his new position provides. "I'm excited to work with the whole student life team in drawing together comprehensive student life programming...to help put together the picture of how residence students, commuter students, international students, all of these areas, work together and where we can find the connections between these groups," he says.
"I love that the work of student life is about partnering with students in not just their academic educational pursuits but in their whole lives, in the holistic picture about putting together who they will be as adults."
While this year will look different because of COVID-19 and the challenges it poses, including physical distancing, masks, and new procedures, Peronto hopes returning and incoming students continue to experience CMU's same quality programming.
"One of the things that we're learning this year is how we live well in a time of pandemic, how to do education well while being safe. So that's what I hope for, is that students get that unique CMU experience while we still inspire wellness, health, and safety for them."
We sat down with Peronto to learn more about the new leader of CMU student life.
What are some of your favourite ways to spend time when you're not at work?
"I love being outdoors, camping, hiking...having fires, playing with my dog. And I love to cook, experimenting in the kitchen, trying out new recipes. Movies are also one of my passions. I love experiencing movies and getting to feel alongside the characters of them and have my perspectives challenged by different artists."
Do you have a favourite film?
"One of them is a movie called 'A River Runs Through It' from 1992. My second movie that I love is called 'The Royal Tenenbaums.' It's about a family that seemed to be a family of geniuses who've, over the past 20 years, just fallen apart and how you kind of draw a family back together."
What is a fun fact that people might not know about you?
"I am an incredible napper. And I can have full conversations while I'm asleep, with friends or my wife. I might be asleep right now, who knows?"
Where is your favourite place to spend time in Winnipeg?
"The Assiniboine Forest right behind my house [and CMU] is my favourite place in Winnipeg. It is like a secret treasure of our city. It's the largest urban forest in Canada, there's over 1,000 acres. I walk there every morning, see owls and deer, coyotes, skunks,squirrels, and geese. I love being out there."
What saying or motto inspires you?
"One of the mantras that I try and live by is, 'unexpressed expectations are unmet expectations.' If you don't actually say what your expectations are, you don't know if they're reasonable or not, so they'll never be met. We have to put out what we expect of things, what we expect of ourselves...that's one that helps me be a better person."
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