Redeemer University College prepares students to be difference-makers
777 Garner Road East, Ancaster 905-648-2131 www.redeemer.ca
It’s been said that half of the jobs today won’t exist tomorrow — and half of the jobs of tomorrow don’t exist yet. This, of course, has many implications for the digital natives that make up Generation Z — those born in the late 90s and after. Seeing a world in constant change with shifting values, students are looking for an anchor from which they can live with purpose. Redeemer University College integrates faith and learning so that, as students discover and reach for their goals, they can also ask, “Who will I be when I get there?”
Redeemer is a Christian undergraduate university offering 56 majors and streams and 32 minors that lead to accredited Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education degrees. A Redeemer education is centred on the whole person: body and mind, heart and soul. In each year of their degree, our students look to honour God in the classroom, in every program, on the court and in their experiential learning opportunities.
At Redeemer, a publicly-chartered, privately-funded Christian university, students benefit from direct mentorship from talented, caring faculty. The personal mentorship students receive is uncommon at larger institutions — especially for undergrads. Redeemer is also known for its rigorous academic program, with an interdisciplinary Core curriculum, taught by professors committed to an enriching, transformative educational experience.
Take, for example, Dr. Darren Brouwer, associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Edward Berkelaar, professor of chemistry and environmental studies, who have been working with their students to analyze water contamination in the Hamilton area. As part of their analytical chemistry class, students got out of the classroom and into the thick of hands-on research and environmental activism, presenting their Chedoke Creek watershed analysis project to media, local stakeholders and City Hall officials.
“Our research and data both inform public policy and help educate the public as a whole on the quality of the environment we live in,” says Berkelaar. “We as Christians see the world as a connected whole. We’re called to care for the environment and to ensure that our cities flourish. And so, we work on this research with both of these focuses in mind.”
An integrated Christian worldview spills over into the entire Redeemer experience and is supported by a vibrant community characterized by caring discipleship. A diverse, faithfilled community — representing over 50 denominations — gathers together through dorm devotions, chapel, Bible studies, Church-in-theBox and more. Students regularly worship together, dig deeper into God’s Word and encourage each other in their personal faith journeys.
Central to Redeemer is the idea that learning is not just something for oneself; learning is for service. On campus, Redeemer serves Hamilton by inviting the community to participate in many concerts, theatre productions, art exhibits, poetry readings and speeches by Christian thinkers. Beyond campus, Redeemer students seek to live out their faith, exploring and engaging the unique needs and opportunities in the thriving city of Hamilton. Students are involved in local churches, city ministries, programs for refugees and more.
Through it all, our students and our alumni are the best example of the impact of Redeemer’s mission. “Redeemer’s benefit to the city of Hamilton,” says Mayor Fred Eisenberger, “is that they have been a fundamental part of our educational institutions. The Christian aspect of education at Redeemer has been a particularly defining characteristic of their educational process that really brings forward a lot of great graduates who integrate themselves into the fabric of the city of Hamilton and take on leadership positions.”
More than ever, our world needs engaged citizens who can bring diverse perspectives to the complex questions we all face. And it needs people who can do that while reflecting the love and hope of Jesus Christ. From the classroom to the convocation stage to careers and churches, our faculty, students and alumni are making an impact that resounds in Hamilton, across Canada and around the world.