Redeemer University
Annual Report
2023 / 2024
watch the Recap
School Theme 2023-2024: Learning in Christ
For the 2023-24 academic year, the Redeemer community focused its attention on intentionally learning from the life, ministry and teachings of Jesus.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
Overflowing with
Thankfulness
A message from redeemer’s president, Dr. David Zietsma
I am filled with gratitude for the many blessings and achievements that have marked the 2023-24 academic year. This publication represents Redeemer’s mission in action over that time, preparing students to reflect the love of Jesus Christ in every career and calling. As we look back on the stories of students, faculty and alumni, we give thanks for God’s abundant faithfulness and see his redemptive work as they have an impact that resounds in the culture and across the world.
In Christ alone,
Dr. David Zietsma
President, Redeemer University
Clarifying the Mission
Mission
Preparing students to reflect the love of Jesus Christ in every career and calling.
Vision
Minds renewed.
Lives transformed.
World redeemed.
Lives transformed.
World redeemed.
Redeemer University refined its mission to better communicate its intent to prepare students to reflect the love of Jesus in every career and calling.
New Programs to Expand Kingdom Impact
Redeemer University announced plans to launch new microcredentials, certificate programs and making plans for its first graduate degrees, creating building blocks that will diversify the institution’s academic program array.
The post-secondary landscape continues to change and young Christians continue to look for a wide variety of learning opportunities.
Dr. Peter Neumann
Vice president, academic
student wellness
Caring for the Whole Student
Mental health supports for students saw a significant investment this year with the addition of a mental health case manager and plans to expand the student health clinic to integrate mental health services.
An Evening of Worship
Last fall, internationally acclaimed worship group Rend Collective led the Redeemer Community in a night of energetic worship as part of Redeemer's largest visit day in its history.
Watch the Rend
Recap Video
Recap Video
students
student life | award winner
From Overcoming to Thriving
The Redeemer student experience aims to develop the whole student, and recent grad Feben Alemayehu ’24, who was granted a BA in social work, says that she has experienced Christ’s redemption in all areas of life through her studies.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
Feben Alemayehu ’24 (left) was one of two recipients of the 2024 Student Life Award.
Helping Seniors Thrive
Melody Breukelman ’24 and Emily French were co-presidents of the Redeemer chapter of Brain Exercise Initiative (BEI). They led a cross-disciplinary team of students who worked to prevent and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by leading brain exercise programming in two local retirement homes.
Blocking Shots, Making Brothers
Solomon “Solly” Zandberg, born with one full arm, is a second-year accounting student and Royals hockey player who does not let any challenges get in his way. He has experienced a real sense of community on the team. “It’s like making brothers,” says Zandberg.
Free and Fully Alive
Tyrel Luchies and Kristen Hogan ’24 are not afraid to shine Jesus’ light into the darkness. Real Talk, the club they led this past academic year, hosts male and female accountability groups for students struggling with sexual sin. Through fostering authentic support communities, they have seen their peers find freedom and experience the healing power of the Gospel.
A Vibrant Campus Community
Redeemer students had countless opportunities for academic, spiritual and social connection throughout the year.
Watch the LAUNCH
Orientation Highlights
Orientation Highlights
Residence life offers a unique experience of Christian community. Students learn to do life together in so many ways. There is just something truly beautiful about a community that is grounded in Jesus.
Kevin Johnson
Dean of students
Career Centre | 2023 Co-op Student of the Year
Stewarding Finances and
Faith
Faith
Business student Michelle Visser receives the 2023 Co-op Student of the Year Award, a testament to her impactful learning journey.
Michelle Visser ’24 (left) receives the 2023 Co-op Student of the Year Award from Bruce Wilson, director of the Career Centre.
Redeemer Royals
Highlights from a
Year in Sports
Year in Sports
The Royals reached new heights this year in multiple sports. Women's basketball advanced to the OCAA Championships for the first time in Redeemer history. Both men's and women's soccer teams also advanced to the NCCAA postseason in their first year as a new member.
by the
numbers
numbers
1,052
students enrolled
10
Canadian provinces represented
134
athletes
241
career advising appointments
93%
of first-year students rate their overall Redeemer experience as “excellent” or “good,” 21% higher than the national average.
93
university faculty members
38
international
students
students
28
chapel services
553
students in
residence
residence
$807K
in financial awards given to 500 students
44
programs
and streams
and streams
$775K
received from more than 130 churches in Redeemer's support community
78%
of graduates feel they’re in their felt calling five years post graduation
24
student clubs
260
class of 2024 graduates
9
varsity teams
32
countries represented
7,301
Redeemer University alumni
114
co-op and internship workplace partnerships
41
research grants, totalling $188,000
19
programs with the option of co-op or internship
>90%
of co-op students graduated with a full-time job offer
36
co-op placements
155
internship placements
55%
of financial gifts supported capital projects and student awards
$13.4M
received from more than 1,000 donors
alumni
Redefining Success
The 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award winner is actively striving to show Christ's love to communities through public policy debate and legislative change.
Success is not primarily about getting what you want, whether in politics, riches or social standing. It’s about becoming fully human. And what does it mean to be fully human? It means to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
Brian Dijkema ’04
2023 Distinguished Alumni Award winner
The Worlds Thy Hands Have Made
Andie Albert ’22, PhD candidate at the University of Guelph, never expected to be where she is today. As a First Nations, first-generation post-secondary student, she says
succeeding in academia wasn’t something she’d anticipated.
Joining the Conversation on Art and Faith
Francis Germain ’18, an art appraiser, says the most exciting part of his work is meeting interesting people and working with artworks like those by the Group of Seven. But he’s found unexpected ways to help people through his work as well.
Success Beyond the Scoreboard
James Walraven ’93 is the 19th inductee to the Royals Hall of Fame. He studied physical education, biblical and theological studies and math at Redeemer. He was also part of the men’s volleyball and soccer teams, winning multiple awards and titles.
salt and light
Alumni gather with faculty and staff for coffee and good conversation at an alumni social during Alumni Week.
Emma Richardson ’14, alumna and registered psychotherapist, speaks at a special alumni chapel on the words and ways of Jesus and the importance of truth and love.
An alumnus takes on current student-athletes at the annual Royals vs. alumni basketball game.
I learned to see the stories in everything through the story of Scripture. Jesus often used stories in his ministry. That framework helped me to find the stories underlying research data and share them in a way that encourages the reader to learn more and take action. Furthermore, learning from Jesus’s empathy and kindness also helped me understand my clients and translate their work into stories that everyone else could understand and connect with. Looking back, I think it was because of Redeemer that I could begin to see all those stories come to life. It was there that the seeds were planted.
academics
Minds Renewed
Faculty members are consistently engaged in scholarly research and creative work in the natural sciences, arts, humanities and social sciences,
informed by the belief that academic inquiry is a form of worship and integrating the Reformed worldview into every discipline of study.
The natural world, as God’s creative word, as the song that he’s still singing and sustaining and upholding, is not just an idea. It’s actually a summons to us to respond.
Dr. Doug Sikkema
Assistant Professor of Core Studies & English
The Language Jesus Spoke
History professor Dr. Jonathan Loopstra studied under a Dead Sea Scrolls scholar while learning Hebrew and Greek. Last February, he used his expert knowledge of Syriac, the dialect of the Aramaic language that Jesus spoke, to bring together experts on ancient languages from around the world by hosting an international symposium in Madrid.
Guiding Principles
Two Christian lawyers, André Schutten and Kris Kinsinger, are lending their time and expertise to Redeemer’s law and public policy minor, launched in 2022. Without a Christian law school in Canada, Redeemer’s minor is one of only a few universities where students can engage with this area of study from a Christian perspective.
Leaving a Living Legacy
Nearing retirement, Susan Van Weelden, professor and dean of business, has left her mark on Redeemer. Her Student Guide to the Case Method has sold more than 50,000 copies--18,000 full copies and 37,000 individual chapters--in 12 different countries around the world. Together with her colleague, professor of business Laurie Busuttil, they have published 12 case studies with Ivey Publishing.
There’s an entire branch of government that is exclusively reserved for lawyers. We need to have lawyers that are Christians. They have to think Christianly about the law.
André Schutten
Adjunct Lecturer in Law and Public Policy
Integrating the
Reformed Christian Worldview
Reformed Christian Worldview
Fostering Spiritual Formation
The chaplaincy program fosters a culture of spiritual formation across campus. Chaplains assist students, faculty and staff in understanding their identity and purpose in light of the Gospel.
A student takes part in a Bible study in the prayer room on campus.
I consider myself a pastor on campus, here to help and mentor the students, building close relationships with them.
Rev. Samuel Kim
Student life chaplain
I’d like to assist faculty in understanding how their scholarship is worship and seeing the importance of engaging inquiry as followers of Jesus.
Rev. Dr. Bill de Jong
Faculty life chaplain
What does Reformed mean?
At Redeemer University, the word Reformed refers to a rich, living, distinct, Christian tradition that acknowledges the breadth and depth of the larger church, including all who belong to Jesus Christ. In 2023-24, the university developed a digital publication that dives deeper into this tradition to add clarification and context to the Christian community.
Platforming Christian
Research
Research
This past year, the Albert M. Wolters Centre for Christian Scholarship hosted three distinguished Christian academics who are engaging in relevant research from a Reformed Christian perspective.
Dr. Fellipe Do Vale received the 2023 Emerging Public Intellectual Award.
Albert m. Wolters centre | 2023/2024 lecture series
DR. FELLIPE DO VALE received the 2023 Emerging Public Intellectual award and gave a lecture on “Finding Our Identities at the End of the World.” He explored critical questions concerning how to understand the relationship between our embodiment, our loves and the complex social and cultural realities of our day.
DR. LYDIA JAEGER gave a lecture titled “Are We Free? Navigating Between Scientific Determinism and Liberty of Creation.” She explored how an understanding of God as creator provides a helpful and important framework for thinking about science, including implications for understanding human freedom before the face of God.
DR . JORDAN BALLOR gave a lecture on “Abraham Kuyper and the Economic Teachings of the Heidelberg Catechism.” He applied historic Reformed commentary to a key confessional document in the Reformed tradition, discovering its teachings on the origin, essence and nature of economic activity.
Kuyper Conference 2023
Kuyper and Kintsugi
Redeemer University hosted the 2023 Kuyper Conference last May, featuring a keynote with Kuyper Prize winner, artist and author Makoto Fujimura. This conference is part of a multi-year series of events that promotes a broad exploration, engagement, and development of the legacy of the Dutch Reformed theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper.
Makoto Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose work has been featured in galleries and museums around the world.
Introducing the Class of 2024
260 graduates have been prepared to reflect the love of Jesus Christ in every career and calling.
Watch the Grad
Highlight Reel
Highlight Reel
We have witnessed each other richly engaging with God's word, filling the earth and subduing it, creating culture, seeing our gifts and abilities connect to God's efforts to make all things new.
Ian DeJong
International Relations
your support
Financials at a Glance
Your support has helped Redeemer to deliver on its mission.
Revenues
2024
$29.0M
2023
$26.8M
Tuition & Fees
Donations (operating)
Ancillary Operations
Other (Grants & Fees)
Expenses
2024
$26.1M
2023
$25.8M
Academic (Instruction & Research)
General & Administration
Student Development
Fundraising
Ancillary Operations
Debt servicing
Financial Aid
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
The financial support from donors encourages students like me to focus on our studies and community involvement with our best energy, allowing us to reach our full potential and promote God’s work in the community throughout our years here.
Willem Dykstra ’24
Business and Media and Communications
giving thanks
The generosity and care of Redeemer’s support community keeps tuition affordable and its unique Christian university education within reach.
I am so thankful for your financial support and your love for this university… I realize how much of a privilege learning at a Christian university is and your contribution really goes to show what a special place Redeemer University is.
Joelle Mitten
First-year student
Because of your generosity, I will be able to dedicate more time to my studies and partake in other curricular activities that will benefit my education such as orchestra and choir rehearsal ... I am very grateful for your prayers and financial support.
Stephanie Sim
Third-year student
I am grateful for your prayers and ask that you continue to uphold me and the other students at Redeemer University as we strive to use the gifts and talents that God gave us, giving him all of the glory, honour and praise.
Kyra Van Geest
First-year student
The Redeemer Podcast is your window into Redeemer University, where faith, learning, and community converge. Explore thought-provoking conversations, inspiring stories from students, staff, faculty and more!
Redeemer's Student-Led Ministry: Rooted Worship
Listen in as students offer insights into what God has done through Rooted Worship, how the ministry has impacted students' lives and what the ministry looked like in the 2023-2024 academic year.
The Core Program at Redeemer University
Expore Redeemer's Core Program! Dr. Doug Sikkema joins the show to talk about the program's benefits and how it relates to other disciplines of study.
'23 Review & '24 Preview | Redeemer University
President Dr. David Zietsma joins the show to review 2023 at Redeemer and look ahead to the future.
Redeemer is grateful to God for the way he has worked through the university's students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters this past year.