Redeemer University is one thread in the wider tapestry of Christian mission, yet it also exists as a resource to God’s people across Ontario and beyond. Through Redeemer’s core capstone course, many organizations have benefitted repeatedly from the research and creative thinking of Redeemer students.
First offered in 2019, Redeemer’s CTS 410 course is a capstone experience required for all students and is part of Redeemer’s unique core curriculum. As part of the capstone, multidisciplinary groups of students analyze and explore a problem presented by an organization, subsequently offering innovative and
detailed solutions.
Repeat partners include A Rocha, Christians Against Poverty, Eagles Nest, Knox College’s Centre for Life Long Learning, Micah House, Michael House, New Hope Community Bikes, Resonate Global Mission and Safe Families Hamilton-Halton.
Natalie Vanderlaan, chapter director of Safe Families Hamilton-Halton, says that the capstone has been mutually beneficial, as well as enjoyable. Similarly, Jennifer Stevens, communication and volunteer manager at Eagles Nest, says that she has been impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and dedication.
“They bring a ton of energy, excitement and commitment to understanding us and the challenges we face,” says Stevens.
Keira Wiersema is a fourth-year social work student who participated in the capstone in fall 2023, working with Eagles Nest. She is grateful that the capstone helped her gain an appreciation for the local ministry and an understanding of how she could use her gifts to support what God was doing through the organization.
“[There was a] large amount of growth and learning that occurred in such a short period,” says Wiersema. “The team project allowed me to go outside my comfort zone and lean into the strengths God has given me.”
There are many student findings that have been useful for partner organizations. For Safe Families Hamilton-Halton, one student group calculated the value in dollars that Safe Families brings annually to the Hamilton region through its staff and volunteers—more than $17 million. Vanderlaan says this has been an extremely useful piece of information that she has shared with churches to help them understand the impact of their partnership.
As a result of their long-term involvement, organizations like Safe Families and Michael House have been able to take the work of one student group and have it built on by another—helping to move a simple idea to an achievable goal. Karen Kamphuis, director of Michael House, says that it is a blessing that, through the capstone, progress toward future initiatives—specifically, an affiliated social enterprise—is now within the organization’s reach.
They bring a ton of energy, excitement and commitment to understanding us and the challenges we face.
“I’m really busy, so knowing that we’re moving this idea forward because we’ve got these students engaged and in the development phase is a game changer for us to be able to actually look at implementation.”
Amanda DeVries, executive director of Eagles Nest, says that it’s great that some student suggestions have been easy to implement quickly, such as marketing slogans and assets, while other suggestions have affected the work more broadly by shifting the organization’s questions and confirming previous assumptions.
Outcomes were a bit different for Sarah Bokma ’09, environmental education coordinator at A Rocha, who says that Redeemer students’ research on potential future partnerships came with unforeseen challenges and setbacks. She was glad she could give the students a safe opportunity to think creatively in response to hardship, while at the same time gaining a more realistic picture of some of the barriers and opportunities that lay ahead for her organization.
Similarly, during the capstone, Wiersema developed a deeper understanding of how important innovative thinking and teamwork are in the real world of work, as a clear path forward isn’t always obvious.
“Overall, this course has helped me understand more about the realities of how challenging it can be to work with other people toward a shared goal. But it has also shown me how rewarding it can be to work together with others.”
Many partners state the benefit of an experience like this for young people. Vanderlaan comments that “[p]rofessors seem to be doing all they can to equip students for life after Redeemer.”
Stephanie Schreuders ’14, executive director of Micah House, says that the capstone “expanded our idea of what partnership can look like.” Micah House has a history of hosting social work interns, and has now also benefited in unique ways from students that hail from a variety of programs.
John Borthwick, director of the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Knox College, says that in his first group of students, no two students shared the same denomination. This mix generated “creative suggestions and solutions we had never even thought of.” He now has a clearer picture of what Redeemer students have to offer, which includes deep connections to their community.
Beth Fellinger, regional mission leader for eastern Canada at Resonate Global Mission, says that this course gives her hope for the future of God’s Kingdom.
”It’s good to see innovative thinking happening and students looking at fresh expressions of what ministry can look like in light of psychology, business, English and more—seeing that there is room for ministry in all of those places.”