As Canadians draw to the end of winter, sidewalk salt and sunlight always seem to be in short supply. While we tire of slippery sidewalks and long for light on a late afternoon drive, we are reminded of the necessity of salt and light even in the 21st century, albeit for reasons different than those of the original audience of Jesus’ parable. This academic year, Redeemer has explored how we can be as essential to the life of our communities as the salt and light in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount — the theme on campus for the year.
At Redeemer, higher education is a process of discipleship through learning. Growth in Christ and education go hand-in-hand, fostering Christian leaders who make an impact in a rapidly changing world.
Donors make every year of education at Redeemer possible. Redeemer donors provided $3,400 of support per student last year — and that is before considering the contributions that donors made for specific projects and for scholarship funding. With every dollar raised in Redeemer’s Re Campaign, donors foster the initiatives of the 2020 Strategic Plan — initiatives which are renewing Redeemer’s academic program, raising the university’s profile and securing a stable financial foundation for the future.
As of the time of writing, Redeemer has received $17.3 million in total Re Campaign gifts and pledges — 86 per cent of the university’s $20 million goal! Through this fall’s ReMatch Challenge, graduating classes collectively raised over $50,000, with nearly 300 alumni participating. In total, alumni have contributed over $400,000 to the Re Campaign. The Redeemer campus honoured the generous contributions of donors with The Gratitude Project, a week-long series of events this February. Without the dedicated, faithful gifts of a generous support community, a Christian university education in Ontario would be simply out of reach for many students.
“Growth in Christ and education go hand-in-hand, fostering Christian leaders who make an impact in a rapidly changing world.”
Redeemer continues to invest in its programs and its students. Having launched a new Core curriculum, a Centre for Christian Scholarship and a Media and Communication Studies program in 2016, followed by the Centre for Experiential Learning and Careers in 2017 and the Urban and Intercultural Ministry program this March, Redeemer is well on its way to achieving the goals of the 2020 Strategic Plan. With the recent launch of the Ministry program, Redeemer has brought all of the strategic plan’s initiatives into the implementation phase. The new Urban and Intercultural Ministry program is preparing students for ministry in tough places, for work overseas for an NGO and for seminary. Redeemer’s Centre for Experiential and Careers (CELC) continues to partner with employers to help students connect their sense of calling with a career. As the CELC continues to build co-op offerings for the Ministry program, the centre is also working to triple the number of programs with co-op and facilitating experiential learning opportunities in every program.
In addition to the exciting initiatives of the Redeemer 2020 Strategic Plan, Redeemer is expanding and renewing its health and life sciences labs. The lab renewal project, for which Redeemer has secured $400,000 in donations, includes a pathogen research lab, an aquatic toxicology lab, a renewed chemistry lab and an expanded human kinetics lab. The new lab spaces will prepare students for advanced research opportunities in their programs and for postgraduate studies and careers in environmental and human health, biochemistry and kinesiology — some of the fastest growing fields of employment and areas in which Redeemer students are being equipped to make a lasting, God-honouring impact.
In terms of the President Search, the Board, through the President Search Committee, continues to work through the candidate vetting and interview process. There has been strong interest from suitable candidates, which is very encouraging. Most importantly, the Board remains committed to hiring an effective, gifted leader to take the university to the next stage of its institutional life. Throughout this process, we welcome your prayers for the work of the search committee and for God to reveal his will to us.
Redeemer has hit a number of milestones in 2017 and early 2018. Alumni and students continue to do amazing things, big and small, with salt and light presence. As we share a picture of Redeemer’s impact in this latest issue of Resound, we are grateful for your readership and your support of Redeemer and its mission.