Category: academics Page 1 of 14

How do math and peace relate? | Lia Campbell-Enns

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On September 16, 2025

In 2025-26, academics, courses

Lia Campbell-Enns

“How do math and peace relate?” This question has lived in the back of my mind throughout my time at CMU. After high school, I was not sure what I wanted to study—chemistry, physics, math, or engineering? I knew I wanted to pursue the sciences but did not know which path I wanted to take. So, in my first year, I registered for four science courses each semester.

When my mom saw my all-science schedule, she suggested I add some non-science courses for balance. I kept Introduction to Calculus and Physics but added The Art of Music and Introduction to Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies. These two classes transformed my first year. They solidified my love of mathematics while broadening my perspective, helping me explore ethnomusicology and consider how conflict can be resolved peacefully. The ability to take a range of courses as a math major has allowed me to think outside the box and apply mathematical problem-solving to other disciplines, such as peace and conflict transformation studies.

“CMU’s math program is a small, supportive community,” Lia says.

Many opportunities have continued to present themselves, thanks to the supportive mathematics faculty. The CMU math program is small, which allows for flexibility and creativity. Sometimes it feels like a “choose your own adventure.” Looking back, here are four things I wish I had known before entering the math department at CMU:

  1.  Connecting with professors can open doors

    After my first year, opportunities arose that I had not expected. I was hired as a research intern to analyze data and create graphs for a biology professor; this work was eventually published. That fall, I also became a teaching assistant for Calculus, gaining firsthand experience in both teaching and leadership.

    In my third-year Introduction to Statistics class, Professor Tim Rogalsky allowed me to learn R, a programming language for data analysis, instead of the usual lab assignments. For my project, I applied hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and linear regression to study annual working hours across Canada, Australia, and Cambodia. This gave me hands-on experience with real-world data while practicing key statistical techniques.

    I had final projects in two courses, Linear Algebra II and Introductory Logic. Tim suggested I combine them and collaborate with a friend to assist him with his research. We coded in Python, worked through multiple layers of analysis, and presented our findings at CMU’s Science Symposium and at a scientific conference.

  2. Forming study groups is essential

    In my first year, I took Physics with a few upper-year science students. They invited me to study groups, exchanged contact information, and became a support system. Through them, I joined the Science Students Association (SSA). With the SSA, I helped host a scientist in residence, met PhD students, connected with other science students, and developed leadership skills. I am now a co-leader of the SSA, where I enjoy meeting first-year students, planning science-related events, and connecting with others who share a passion for science.

  3. You can request courses that are not normally offered

    In high school, physics was my favourite class, but second-year courses like Electromagnetic Field Theory and Biophysics are not regularly available at CMU. When a small group of students expressed interest, however, the faculty arranged to offer them. At CMU, professors take a personal interest in students’ goals, creating unique opportunities tailored to what we are excited about.

  4. AI can be a tutor, not just a tool

    I have also learned to use AI as a tutor rather than a shortcut. In my math classes, I practice guiding AI to ask me questions that challenge my understanding, helping me think critically and solve problems step by step. In today’s world, it is also important to think critically about AI—its potential, its ethics, and its limitations. CMU encourages this reflective approach, helping students engage with technology thoughtfully.
Lia’s final project for Linear Algebra II and Introductory Logic.

The flexibility of CMU’s mathematics program has allowed me to dive into topics I care about and apply insights from other disciplines. As a minor in Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies (PACTS), I have seen how both fields center on problem solving. Math teaches structured, logical solutions, while PACTS explores negotiation, ethics, and human-centered reasoning. Together, they show that problem solving can bridge technical challenges and human relationships.

CMU’s math program is a small, supportive community that adapts to students’ interests, encouraging exploration beyond mathematics. Connecting with people, nature, and music grounds my studies and allows me to consider the consequences, challenges, and ethics behind complex mathematical questions. At CMU, math and peace are connected through the shared pursuit of understanding, thoughtful problem solving, and making a positive impact on the world.

Lia Campbell-Enns is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student, majoring in Mathematics.

“Well… it depends…”: Four insights into studying music therapy at CMU | Kaija Feldbusch

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On June 4, 2025

In 2024-25, academics, student life

Four years ago, I had never heard of music therapy. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Kaija Feldbusch, Bachelor of Music Therapy student

In the fall of 2017, I was heading into the last year of my Bachelor of Music in piano at King’s University in Edmonton, trying to figure out what to do afterwards. As I skimmed through a promotional brochure about what to do with a music degree, the words “music therapy” caught my eye. I was instantly intrigued. I remember phoning a music therapist to get more information. When I asked what a typical music therapy workday might look like, she replied with, “Well… it depends….” While I thought this answer was profoundly unhelpful in the moment, I’ve seen how true it is after studying music therapy at CMU.

Despite my previous research about music therapy, CMU’s program was more than I ever could have expected. Definitions of music therapy and course descriptions failed to show me how difficult, rewarding, diverse, and fulfilling it would be to study music therapy at CMU. Therefore, to anyone curious about music therapy or considering CMU’s program, I offer four insights into what this transformative experience is actually like.

1. It is a lot of work

If you are planning to study music therapy, brace yourself. To be admitted to the program, you need proficiency in piano, voice, guitar, and percussion. However, once you’re admitted, the work just continues. I spent countless hours practicing music for lessons and performances, learning songs for practicum (I learned to sing and play almost 100 songs in this past school year alone!), finding and sometimes composing music for use in sessions, and rehearsing for group performances. This past semester, we divided into bands for a Music Therapy Coffeehouse, in which students switched instruments between songs to showcase their different skills.

Last semester, music therapy students put on a coffeehouse to showcase their work.

In addition to making music, there is other knowledge to be learned. Part of what sets music therapists apart from performers are their clinical skills to select appropriate music for the client’s needs and facilitate sessions effectively. To develop these skills, music therapy students take psychology courses, music therapy methods, and much to the dismay of many students, anatomy and physiology. Furthermore, music therapy is an evidenced-based profession, meaning that for every population I worked with during my studies, I had to first write a research paper about which music therapy methods had proven effective for that clientele.

2. It is incredibly rich and fulfilling

Although any potential music therapy students might be reconsidering after my first point, let me reassure you that this hard work is all worth it. My experience in the music therapy program was rich beyond measure. Rich in what way, you may ask? Well… it depends…

Some days our classes were rich in play. Whether it was trying to play a drum based on how a basketball was bounced or collaboratively writing a blues song about our end-of-semester stress, we often shared the joys of making music together, laughing until our bellies ached and tears streamed from our eyes.

Other classes were rich with different emotions. The bonds we built as a class created space for people to share their struggles, burdens, and tears. There were stories shared, hugs exchanged, and Kleenexes blown as individuals opened up about their lives or responded to musical interventions.

Assignments included not only papers, but artistic opportunities.

My studies were also rich in reflection. As students, we were constantly encouraged to take stock of ourselves and monitor our own responses. Sometimes we reflected artistically, through drawing, improvisation, or mask-making. Other times, we wrote reflection paper after reflection paper.

There was also incredible richness and fulfillment in working with clients. Every music therapy student does three practicum placements, plus a longer internship at the end of their degree. In each of these practicums, I was touched as I got to know my clients and see the ways music impacted their lives. Sometimes clients told me how much they valued music therapy, but often it was a simple look or gesture that showed me I was making a difference.

3. It is experience-based

These practicums were incredibly formative for me. When I asked a question in class about what to do in a situation, I was often met with, “Well… it depends.” Since every individual is unique in their own way, there is no way to know how a person will respond to a therapeutic intervention until you do it with them. Hands-on learning gave me a chance to work with real people and let me learn from music therapists with a range of experiences. I had the privilege to learn from six different music therapists, including my professors, throughout my degree, and I’m looking forward to working with two more in my upcoming internship. Because music therapy is such a broad field, this range of experiences helped equip me for wherever I end up in the future.

While my studies helped me build confidence in the role of the therapist, they also let me experience the role of the client. Classmates often led interventions for each other, and being on the receiving end helped me understand the client’s perspective. In this role, I discovered how vulnerable it is to sing in front of a group, and learned that things that appear “too simple” as a leader are often still immensely valuable as a participant.

4. It is a community like no other

Kaija Feldbusch and some of her fellow music therapy students—and now, friends.

Because there are so few music therapy programs in Canada, CMU’s program attracts people from a wide variety of places, both within Canada and beyond. This meant that our cohort had a range of ages, backgrounds, and experiences. However, it is the most accepting group I have ever been in.

I felt I could bring my authentic self and share my honest feelings, knowing I would be seen and supported. I am so privileged to have such an incredible group around me, and our activities outside of class are a testament to these connections. I have watched my peers’ concerts, attended the wedding social of a classmate, organized a group potluck, shared about non-school related things in our group chat, and made plans to attend a songwriting group with several peers. While there are so many amazing things about CMU’s music therapy program, it would not have been the same without this incredible group of people.

So, if you were to ask me, was studying music therapy at CMU the right choice? Well… yes.

Kaija Feldbusch is currently completing her 1000-hour music therapy internship, the final requirement for her Bachelor of Music Therapy.

Lost and found in translations: The international student experience | Trisha Boodhoo

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On March 25, 2025

In 2024-25, academics, residence life, student life

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.

The small class sizes at CMU differ a lot from my previous schools. While my more popular science classes have around 40 students, my philosophy classes consist of ten students or less. Not only do you get to know and engage with everyone in the class, but the professors get to know you on a first-name basis. I am incredibly grateful for my professors, as they have all contributed immensely to my academic success so far.

I was not expecting that I would learn so much from my courses. I started the school year thinking I could be an English major. Then I attended my first philosophy course, The Question of Reality, and it was love at first class! Not only did I find it unbelievable that I was acquiring knowledge from an ancient Greek civilisation, but it was knowledge on how to be a good human being. Of course, once again, I firmly believe that the professor teaching the class impacted immensely my love for philosophy. CMU professors have not only provided me knowledge in the classroom, but I was also able to exercise their wisdom outside of the classroom and into my daily life.

I have been warned by many that the transition from high school to university can be hard. I do agree that it is challenging at first, but I can proudly say that I am now an academic weapon! The resources available at CMU, such as private study rooms, school events to connect with other students, and the beautiful library with large open windows, have certainly made a difference in my academic life. Moreover, the free peer-assisted learning and having tutoring sessions with Sam Friesen, a graduate student and a good friend of mine, have helped in my studies immensely. My best memories were made when I was drinking hot chocolate with Sam in one of the study rooms, debating whether Socrates’ arguments made sense or not.

CMU staff, including Ricah Ursos, Coordinator of International Admissions & Programs, and Sandra Loeppky, Coordinator of Accessibility Services, have helped immensely—whether it is to bring international students together or to provide resources such as how to dress warm in extremely cold weather. They have made my experience here incredible, and I am once more sincerely grateful for their help. In fact, once I got used to the cold, my friends living with me in the residence building soon dragged me along to go sledding or have random snowball fights in the middle of the night.

The reason I came to CMU was as random as finding a pair of well-fitted cowboy boots in your shoe size, abandoned in the streets. I typed “Hogwarts castle,” stumbled upon the university, and noticed there was a tennis court nearby. A couple months later, I was boarding a plane to study at a place where I knew no one. And right now, I am walking towards one of my coolest classes of the semester and mentally taking note that I would love to attend community chapel tomorrow and hang out with my friends afterwards.

Being an international university student means that you are undoubtedly going to go through a lot of personal growth. For me, CMU was the best place I could have asked for to grow emotionally, spiritually, and academically. I still have more growing to do, but I know I will be okay with the people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made, and the support I get from being a student at Canadian Mennonite University.

Trisha Boodhoo is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies—English and Philosophy—and minoring in Biblical and Theological Studies.

Finding purpose through music | Ashley Kineshanko

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On February 4, 2025

In 2024-25, academics, student life

If you would have asked me back in 2020 where I saw myself in five years, your guess would’ve been as good as mine. I’ve always been indecisive, but with the world in disarray, nobody knew what the future had in store. However, I do know my response would have involved doing something I’m passionate about, helping others, and making a difference. Still, I wouldn’t have believed it if you’d told me I would be back at school, studying music no less, and just ten minutes down the road from me. Yet here I am, a CMU student looking to become a music therapist.

“I made some great friends…without them I don’t know how I would’ve made it this far.”

I have always had a passion for music and art. My mom is an artist, so she raised us surrounded by all kinds of music and art. My favourite childhood show was The Wiggles—need I say more? One of the only after-school activities I was ever in was elementary school choir, and I sang in school talent shows even though my anxiety made it extremely scary. Looking back now, I realize I should have taken band in middle school. I was a bit scared of the commitment to something so foreign, since reading music wasn’t something I felt confident doing. Plus it felt like I didn’t have the time for the early mornings and late after-school practices. So, I just continued to sing literally everywhere I went, if I could, and I began collecting instruments in hopes of learning how to play on my own (unsuccessfully, I might add). Because when I sing or play, I feel something deep inside connecting me to the music.

Ashley Kineshanko is studying music at CMU.

In high school I was intensely focused on my studies. With my interests in math, science, and art, my school counsellor encouraged me to apply to the University of Manitoba engineering department. My grades got me a significant entrance scholarship directly into engineering and without knowing all my other options, I decided to go for it. First semester went well, but I wanted nothing more every day than to just get home, putting the huge crowds and long bus ride behind me. After second semester, I felt like I needed to take a break. Perhaps this wasn’t for me, and I didn’t want to push myself into something I wasn’t sure about. So, I decided to take some time off to work and gain life experience, in hopes that I would find what I was looking for.

“I am so grateful to be here. To have a school environment I feel so comfortable in…”

Now, after six years and four different jobs, my life has led me here to CMU. My most recent job as an educational assistant at a forest and nature school was one of the best experiences of my life. Being there felt like it reconnected me with nature, myself, and all the things I love. Some of my coworkers graduated from CMU and said I would love it here. So, when Beaver Creek Academy shut down, I decided to look into music courses. And just my luck, there was a music theory class starting that very week to prepare people for the CMU music program. It felt scary starting from the very bottom, but I reminded myself that I was there to learn—and it turned out to be a lot of fun! I made some great friends in that theory class and without them I don’t know how I would’ve made it this far.

Dressed and ready for a music performance!

I think that really says something about the people here at CMU. Not only have my friends been there for me, especially when I’m lacking confidence, but the general atmosphere is extremely inviting. There are people I see in the halls who I recognize and smile at. Even if I don’t know their names, I know they are part of my community and I am part of theirs, something I’ve never really experienced before. My professors have been so encouraging and it’s great getting to know them on a personal level. I have been learning so much. We’ve even started learning guitar and handbells in a new class, Ways of Musicking! Not to mention several of my classmates and I got the opportunity to share our final projects from music theory at a Taizé chapel service. Having never written any sort of music before, I felt very proud of myself. I even performed at our Christmas Gala Coffee House with a friend of mine, something so fun that I never could’ve seen myself doing so early on in this journey.

I have to say I am so grateful to be here. To have a school environment I feel so comfortable in is something I never expected from a university experience. These next years are going to be a lot of work, but I couldn’t think of a better place to be learning how to be a student again. Not to mention my fantastic job as a student ambassador, helping students just like me find their place and purpose here at CMU. My hope after getting a music therapy degree is to go to the WHEAT Institute here in Manitoba to receive my Art and Expressive Art Therapy certification. With this I would love to integrate all types of therapy with the natural world to help promote a happy, holistic type of living that is beneficial to everyone.

Ashley Kineshanko is a first-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in music.

Is my participation necessary?: Reflecting on local development and volunteerism | Hannah Peters

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On June 6, 2024

In 2023-24, academics

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:

  1. Development of what?
  2. Why local?
  3. 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!)

Hannah (right) with classmate Kat at Agape Table.

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.

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