I often find myself wondering in moments of stress, why am I in school? I begin to daydream about traveling around the world and going on exotic adventures. Seriously, why am I here studying in Winnipeg? This is usually when my parents’ voices start to kick in: “But what about your future, Emilie?” Three things generally come to mind when I think of this question: getting a Bachelor of Arts (BA) can help me build a basic knowledge of diverse subjects; it will open doors and present me with opportunities to benefit my future; and it gives my soon-to-be employers confidence that I am credible and self-motivated.


Esther Derksen
Most of the science students at CMU are asked: “Why do you go there? What does CMU offer?” Third Year Arts & Science major, Esther Derksen believes that her time at CMU has enhanced her understanding of the human experience and expanded her scientific worldview.

Many Outtatowners that enter the program don’t fully know what they are getting themselves into. Although some people in my group had gathered more information than others, nobody can truly prepare you for a life changing experience. This is what Outtatown was for me, a life changing experience. I could say many things about how great my Outtatown experience was, like the community, the adventures, and of course the food, but I’ll stick with the most influential part of my experience and how it has shaped how I see the world today.

In the first semester of my third year I decided to take a course called Literature & Theology taught by Dr. Paul Doerksen. This turned out to be one of the best decisions I made during my degree. Paul taught the class in a different style than he had before; we spent the whole semester studying the work of one scholar named Marilynne Robinson. Robinson’s confidence in her writing and awareness of the world are some of the qualities I admired in her.