Education | August 2015

C M Y K

8 Winnipeg Free Press - saturDAY, August 1, 2015

Manitoba’s Christian universities Opportunity & obligation

By Holli Moncrieff for the Free Press

“Because it’s a small campus and a small institution, it has a personal feel. Students are treated as individuals, not faces in the crowd. They get to know one another, and they get to know the faculty as well,” says Dr. Don Burke, president of Booth University College. It’s a common misconception that you have to be of Christian faith to attend these universities. CMU, Booth and Providence have open-enrolment policies and gladly welcome students of all faiths, as well as those with no religious background. “We have Muslim students, Hindu students and students with no religious background,” says Cameron McKenzie, acting dean of Providence University College and Theological Seminary. “We’re not a denominational school. Our students and faculty are from across denominational lines.” Many of the programs offered at the three schools have a strong focus on social justice and community building. Students who want to make the world a better place would feel most at home at these universities. “Our motto is ‘Education for a Better World.’ We believe that education serves a larger purpose of creating a better world, which shapes the programs we offer,” Burke says. “We really want to impress upon our students that education isn’t simply a means to an end. It comes with an opportunity and an obligation to see ourselves as part of the larger community. We place a great emphasis on justice, hope, mercy and caring for one another.” CMU is the only school in Canada to offer a master of arts in Peace Building and Collaborative Development. “This program bridges the fields of peace building and international development and conflict resolution. It’s designed for practitioners and professionals who are looking for professional development opportunities,” Kilbrei says. “It’s a unique opportunity and we have the expertise in- house.” Booth’s psychology degree program has a different focus than what you might find at other universities. “We put a real emphasis on community-based psychology,” explains Burke. “We’re involved in research projects around how immigrants are transitioning into Canadian society.” Providence has partnered with the North American Institute of Indigenous Theological Studies to offer a bachelor of arts in Asset-based Community Development. “This program was designed for indigenous students and will be taught by indigenous instructors. We wanted to create a space for indigenous education. We felt it was the right thing for us to be doing. Our school is located on Treaty 1 lands,” McKenzie says. “We’ve engaged with indigenous scholars and realized there was an important need.”

Bigger isn’t always better. M anitoba’s Christian universities offer a personal approach to education. Class sizes are kept small, so students have an opportunity to get to know each other and their instructors. “One of the biggest things that sets us apart is our size. Our students have the opportunity to interact more meaningfully with the faculty,” says Kevin Kilbrei, director of communications and marketing for Canadian Mennonite University (CMU). “Our students are known by name. The faculty has a special interest in the students here, and a vested interest in helping them succeed.” CMU has an 18-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio for its first-year classes. They have 500 full- time students, while Providence University College and Theological Seminary has 600 and Booth University College has 250.

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