As the end of the year was upon us and students were going between applying for jobs, moving out, and preparing for the summer, I swooped in to cause a distraction and find out what the average CMU student is using their summer for.
The average answer is one you would expect: working to pay for school. But I found a few students that, in my opinion, were doing something more interesting with their months off.
One residence student is taking a trip to South Korea and possibly Japan with their family. As the writer (fuelled by jealousy and surprise), I absolutely had to ask some questions. “My aunt’s family is from Korea, so they’re meeting up with us and showing us around,” the student explained. “Plus, my mom’s a huge fan of the culture and wants to see it all. I’m really excited!”
While travelling was a pattern among the answers, not everyone is travelling to sightsee. A student athlete I know headed over to British Columbia for work planting trees. He’s been doing this for a couple years now, and seems to really like what he’s doing. Hundreds of thousands of trees will be planted by him and many other groups over the summer, in areas that loggers have cleared.
Another group of students are preparing to go on a two-week trip to India through CMU’s Estamos program, getting academic credit and experiencing another culture away from home. Estamos is a chance for any student to experience the world while still fulfilling degree requirements. From what I heard, this trip to India is going to be a really exciting one!
More mundanely, this writer has no plans for the summer that are as exciting. I travelled back home to Ontario and I’m splitting my time between working for school and seeing family and friends. I work at an adventure farm, which is basically a huge playground for families! It includes a petting zoo, wagon rides, and a low-level treehouse ropes course—all a big hit with kids. It’s all bee and farm themed, and my favourite job I’ve ever had. Aside from working, I don’t have any big trips planned, but I do see many sunny beach days in my future.
Whether you’re returning home for the summer, travelling, working most of the time, or taking a much-deserved rest after the school year, I send good vibes and hope that the summer is everything you need. Maybe these CMU students can inspire you to try something new while getting rejuvenated for the 2024/25 school year. Have a great summer everyone, and see you in September!
Cloe Penner is entering her third year of a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in history.
I spent last semester learning about and practicing community-based development and local participatory methods in Kenton Lobe’s Participatory Local Development course.
I’ve since concluded that the world doesn’t always need my participation nor my attempts at development.
However. I desperately need to participate. I might not need to change the world, but rather I might need the world to change me.
Through our seminar-style class which assembled every Wednesday night, we engaged such themes and questions. We looked at methods for mobilizing local communities to address complex and intractable issues, working through three overarching questions:
Development of what?
Why local?
Whose participation?
Although we consulted the work of development scholars and composed critical reflection papers on the subject, much of our learning happened through less conventional methods. Kenton rarely gave lectures. Instead, we drew. We moved. We debated and argued and disputed and discussed. We tried out participatory methods for ourselves, practicing facilitation, time-keeping, workshopping, and consensus decision-making.
In an intense and drawn-out process, we also managed to collectively determine an appropriate final project for the class: eight hours of volunteering for an organization working on food insecurity and a final reflection on the experience. (This blog post is in fact my final reflection!)
I ended up volunteering for Agape Table alongside my classmate Kat. This local non-profit organization cares for Winnipeg’s most vulnerable populations by distributing bagged meals, clothing, and hygiene products.
Kat and I woke up bright and early to make it across town for our 7:00 AM shift. When we arrived there was little fanfare, just some cursory directions about our respective tasks. We promptly began bagging lunches, working alongside a dozen other volunteers to get the food out the door.
I was tasked with putting soup containers into paper bags, an admittedly menial job. I had to wait for the volunteer ahead of me to ladle out the soup and close the lid, and I found myself standing around, waiting, with little to do. Truthfully, this was rather humbling. Although I didn’t delude myself into thinking this four-hour shift was going to save the world, I expected to at least feel useful.
Thankfully, the pace picked up later in the shift, until we were encouraged to take a break. Although probably intended as a 15-minute pause, Kat and I began to visit with Agape Table’s General Manager Dave Feniuk, and our break turned into nearly an hour of idleness.
I found our conversation with Dave fascinating, as he shared about Agape Table’s work, different complications they’d faced, their core values, and advice for working in the non-profit world. Even so, I felt guilty for taking such a long break. Shouldn’t I be on the floor, contributing to that morning’s work?
Eventually we resumed our tasks, but by the time I left, I was questioning how much of a help I’d even been. I was new and needed direction from the more experienced volunteers. I hadn’t put in very many hours of work. And the work I did do wasn’t anything extraordinary.
Truly, I was not essential. The success of Agape Table that morning didn’t depend on me and my labour. My presence for those four hours wasn’t changing the outcome of the morning. I wasn’t saving the world through my volunteering, nor saving Winnipeg from food insecurity.
So what’s the point, then? Why bother volunteering at all?
I’ve wrestled with this question in the days since my first shift. I’ve concluded that although my volunteering doesn’t necessarily change the wider world, it does change my world.
In that first shift, which lasted little more than four hours, I learned a lot. I learned about Winnipeg and the neighbourhood Agape Table serves; about food insecurity, homelessness, addiction, and desperation; and about generosity, service, and the unconditional love this organization practices.
And I found myself inspired and energized. Even as I felt redundant and expendable, I wanted to come back! I desired to join the team, become more knowledgeable, and broaden my perspective.
I also found myself appreciating the simplicity and the repetition of the tasks. It was a different pace from the urgency of university life, as well as a different context. Further, my life at CMU sometimes become shockingly insular as I spend most of my time on campus. Agape Table reminded me of the wider community, while challenging me to slow down and be present. Plus, there was a deep satisfaction in the doing. Paradoxically, the work felt meaningful, even as my individual contributions felt insignificant. Just by showing up, I felt like I was part of something important.
I’m eager to return to Agape Table; Kat and I are already talking about making a volunteer shift a regular part of our schedule and discussing how we might persuade others to join us.
Because volunteering isn’t always about the outcome. It’s rarely going to eliminate hunger, overcome homelessness, or quantifiably change the world. And yet, it’s important all the same.
So, I encourage you to participate in your community. Not to achieve some measurable goal, or for the praise, or to feel important. Do it for the transformation that occurs in the doing. There is such immense personal growth that occurs in the process of working for change. Your contributions to the world—although important in their own right—are absolutely revolutionary for you, your perspective, and your understanding of the world.
Hannah Peters is a third-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in political studies.
The core question that guided our class, Ways of Knowing, last semester was: “What are people for?” This felt daunting at first. I was just getting the hang of things when suddenly I was asked to academically evaluate the purpose of my existence. Regardless of the intimidating question, my classmates and I powered through, and I’m very glad we did.
Entering university can be quite intimidating, especially when stepping into a completely unfamiliar environment. It’s natural to feel uncertain about what lies ahead. However, one of the most reassuring aspects of the Ways of Knowing course was the shared sense of unfamiliarity among everyone. Since each student in the class was in their first year, we were all in the same boat, navigating the newness together. This created a unique atmosphere where we could lean on each other for support as we figured out how to balance all that came at us. Thanks to the small class sizes, I found myself engaging with classmates I might not have crossed paths with otherwise, leading to the formation of lasting friendships.
Once a month, we would combine with two other Ways of Knowing class sections, to partake in a roundtable discussion. These sessions gave us the opportunity to delve deeper into the concepts that were explored in our weekly readings. They served as a fantastic way for us to broaden our perspectives and engage in conversations with both peers and professors alike. During these discussions we were strongly encouraged to intermingle with students from different classes, which forced us to reach out and form new connections that may have otherwise remained undiscovered. Many of my friendships here at CMU were sparked in these classes. Without having this shared experience with all my fellow first years, I’m certain I would not have made as many connections as I have.
This class gave everyone an opportunity to let their creativity flourish. As the semester drew to a close, each student was tasked with crafting a representation of their own understanding of the core inquiry of the course, “What are people for?” The finished projects were showcased during a symposium held at the end of the year. The open-ended prompt led to a diverse array of projects, ranging from cultural culinary explorations to large catapult designs, from original musical compositions to life-sized tree models. This experience emphasized the inevitable variety that surfaces when projects are approached with such openness, highlighting the individuality of each student’s response to the main question. It was truly incredible to see what everyone came up with when given the opportunity to creatively represent their opinion.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of university life, the Ways of Knowing class felt like a breath of fresh air. The professors were awesome—they genuinely cared about how we were doing and put in a considerable amount of effort to ensure we had fun in class. There were many activities that accompanied the material we read prior to class, and we were often rewarded with chocolate (shoutout Professor Karen Ridd!). This course created a space where our voices were not only heard, but valued. Ways of Knowing was truly a blast!
Sarah Wood just completed her first year of a Bachelor of Arts degree.
I am Trisha, a new student ambassador at CMU, and my three favourite things in the world are people, talking to people, and oh did I mention people? Using my detective abilities, I was able to track down Alayna Smith and obtain a one-on-one interview to know all the juicy details about the new president of CMU’s Student Council (STUCO).
Alayna is a third-year student at CMU, pursuing an interdisciplinary degree in Design and the Common Good. “There is not enough relevant information passed down from years to years and it can get lost in the shuffle. I am hoping we can work to create good systems so that future student councils are set up to do the best job that they can do,’’ she said. After three years at CMU, Alayna still believes the best part of CMU is the community and living in a place where one can have easy access to a great social environment full of interesting and unique people—we are so cool, indeed!
Trisha Boodhoo and Alayna Smith
During the interview, we learned that Alayna’s hobbies include art and drawing. How fabulous is that! She also loves spending her free time in leadership roles, planning events, and connecting with people. Fortunately, her search for leadership opportunities led her to be elected as the director of the Arts and Entertainment committee at CMU in her second year. She initially started off her amazing journey in STUCO as one of the two first year representatives in her first year.
Alayna expresses her immense gratitude and her excitement to have been voted head of student council this year. “It felt good that all these people had faith in me and trusted that I could fulfil this role,” she said. “It is exciting to be able to connect with people but also a little scary, for I am representing all of the student body and trying to do the best thing for all of these people. I am going to try my best and work hard to live up to this new role.”
Alayna encourages anybody to be involved in STUCO, even as representatives, which can be one way to be actively involved in CMU, for the voice of students and their welfare matters greatly to the community. She strongly feels that each student can add ideas that create improvements or bring new aspects to CMU and other students’ welfare. I definitely agree with Alayna on that part—get involved in STUCO or other leadership positions and you get a chance to become even cooler!
During the interview, Alayna showcased great passion for her position and further said, “You need to follow your passion and act on it instead of waiting for someone else to do the job for you.” We are all thrilled and look forward to seeing Alayna make her time as President of STUCO as wonderful as possible for us students and for CMU’s community. And with that, this is me signing off as one of the iconic student ambassadors—until my next blog!
Trisha Boodhoo is in her first year of a Bachelor of Arts degree.
This fall, eight students traveled to Guatemala as part of CMU’s Estamos program. They lived, worked, and studied there for three months. Now that they’ve returned, the Estamos cohort is sharing their experiences with the broader CMU community. Here are some highlights and memories from their time in Guatemala.
One of my highlights from living in Guatemala this past fall was when I moved locations in November to complete my practicum credit. I lived in Santiago during this time, which is a smaller Indigenous community. Every morning, I looked out of my window and had a view of Lake Atitlán and a nearby volcano. I grew so close to my host family during this time. I lived with two sisters and their parents who all cared for me. I am so grateful for the opportunity I received to live with them and learn about their Indigenous culture and ways of life. One month is short, but I will always remember the meaningful time I spent with this family and how warm and loving they were with me. At the end of November as I was preparing to return home, my host family gave me a gift so I could always remember our time together. They embroidered a Quetzal, Guatemala’s national bird, on the back of my jean jacket. As I traveled home with this new embroidery, I was reminded of why I had come to Guatemala in the first place: to connect and learn from people who are different from me in many ways, yet also so similar. The Quetzal is a symbol of achieving this goal. It represents the many lessons, memories, and relationships I gained from this experience that are now a part of who I am.
Jillian Recksiedler, third-year Bachelor of Arts, Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies major
My experience living in Guatemala for three months was rich in many different ways. It was rich in culture, laughter, challenges, and learning. I feel very grateful and privileged that I had this opportunity to learn what it is like to live in a different country, culture, and language. While the experience was exciting and positive, it was also scary. I was pushed in ways I never have been before—and I will continue to reap the benefits of that for a very long time. One experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone was living with an Indigenous Maya family for the month of November. It was difficult to adjust to at first. There was only one sink, which was used to wash hands, clothes, and dishes. There was no hot water, and sometimes the nights got very cold in my room. Through this experience, I learned about the beauty and benefits of simple living—something that I feel was necessary for me to experience. I have taken so many things for granted here in Canada. I am thankful that my social location has become clearer to me, which has led me to have a better understanding of how our societies function. I will continue to learn about this experience and integrate the lessons it has given me for the rest of my life.
Grace Bruinooge, fifth-year Bachelor of Arts, Communications and Media major
One Saturday morning, my host brother and I headed to the neighbourhood outdoor court to play basketball. Julian was about a foot-and-a-half shorter than I was, and much stockier. Although he was a better shooter than I was, I could stand in front of him and block every shot he attempted. We dissolved into a hopeless case of giggles as he shot time and time again with no hope of getting the ball past me. With my little Spanish, I tried to teach him the game “HORSE,” which does not involve playing defense. Since I couldn’t remember the word “horse” in Spanish, we played with the word arbol (“tree”), which I had learned that day. Thinking arbol had an “e” at the end, I got to shoot an extra round even though I should have been out. Julian was kind enough not to correct me as I shot for the non-existent “e.” What I thought would be an embarrassing revelation of my poor basketball skills turned into a hilarious, confusing, bonding experience. My first weeks in Guatemala consisted of many moments like this one, trying desperately to communicate, but ending up in fits of laughter over what I was trying to get across, and what the other person was understanding. The richness lay in finding avenues that brought us together, even if we could not always understand each other.
Danika Warkentin, fourth-year Bachelor of Arts, Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies major
