Ambrose Impact Report 2016/17

2016/17 IMPACT REPORT

Inspired by

faith

....to create a world of peace and prosperity

Values Faith in Action: We seek to live lives devoted to serving Christ and pursuing His will with bold confidence in His sovereign power and purposes.

Holiness: We are committed to the pursuit of a personal and corporate lifestyle that is worthy of the holiness of God and made possible by His indwelling Spirit.

Community: We learn within a hospitable and Biblically based community oriented around corporate worship.

Service: We provide humble and compassionate service to people in Christ’s name.

Excellence: We pursue and demonstrate best practices and act with excellence in all that we do.

Accountability: We embrace the Biblical stewardship of life and resources.

Mission Ambrose prepares men and women for wise, joyful, and redemptive engagement in the church, society, and the created order through excellent Christian post-secondary education.

Vision Ambrose is a community of transformative Christian higher education – with a vision for the welfare of our city and our world.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

For such a time as this Friends,

Board of Governors

It is with your generous and prayerful support that Ambrose University lives out its deep commitment to being a thoroughly Christian university in what is an increasingly secular society.

Mr. Ken Stankievech, Chair Businessman, Calgary

We ask: as an academic institution in a society that is pluralist and secular, what does Christian faithfulness look like?

And what does it mean for us to speak about learning and transformation and equipping our students when this is the world into which they are going?

Ambrose University is very much a part of Campus Alberta; and we are very intentionally in the city of Calgary. Any student who comes to Ambrose gets the benefit of this: they are part of a university that is deeply connected to its context. We “seek the peace of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7) that we find ourselves in. We are an institution that cares about and defends the cause and seeks the wellbeing of those who are at the margins in our city... the poor, the homeless, the children.

And in so doing, we must be distinctly and unapologetically Christian. This is our identity; it is core to our mission, our institutional purpose.

Calgary is our laboratory, whether a student anticipates pastoral ministry or whether they are preparing to teach or plan to go on and study law. They are being equipped to know what it means to be a transformational presence in the world. And they learn this as part of a university that is located in this time and place. Thus, for example, our Bachelor of Education program very intentionally considers what it would mean for a graduate to be the only Christian teacher in a public school. And we provide those students with the skills and tools they need to navigate this challenge and opportunity. But, that is no different than for all our students: this is the kind of world into which they will be going. They will not be isolated in safe Christian communities; they will be in the world and God’s presence in the world.

It is thanks in large part to your support that an Ambrose education equips graduates for this world — in the classic words from the book of Esther, “for such a time as this.”

Gordon T. Smith President

2016/17 IMPACT REPORT

Mr. Wayne Bernakevitch, Vice-Chair Lawyer, Regina Mr. Calvin Buss Businessman, Vancouver Rev. David Hearn President, The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) in Canada Mr. Larry Koop Businessman, Olds Ms Delrose Laxton Office Manager, Calgary Rev. Dr. Clair MacMillan National Director, Church of the Nazarene in Canada Dr. Christopher Perumalla Academic, University of Toronto Mr. Jay Pullen Chartered Professional Accountant, Calgary Rev. Dr. Errol Rempel District Superintendent, Canadian Pacific District of The C&MA Canada Mr. Lawrence Stalder Businessman, Calgary Rev. Dr. Deborah Tanasiecuk Chaplain, Correctional Service Canada Prairies Regional, Saskatoon Rev. Dr. Keith Taylor Senior Pastor, Beulah Alliance Church, Edmonton Rev. Kenneth Tsang Businessman, Vancouver

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YEAR AT A GLANCE

Ambrose University is richly blessed by a wide community of support — donors, church members, alumni, faculty, students and many others — people like you whose gifts of prayer, time, talent and financial resources are instrumental in forming graduates ready to lead, serve and make a difference in a rapidly changing world.

A year of intentional teaching and learning

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Achievements over the past year reflect what is possible when many hearts work together in shared purpose. Following are a select few highlights of what your support has helped make possible.

Walking the road to reconciliation When the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was released in 2015, Ambrose University President Gordon T. Smith established a university commission to determine how Ambrose, which rests on Treaty 7 land, should respond. The commission, comprising professors, students and staff, has met regularly over the past three semesters, and the university also held a Truth and Reconciliation Chapel Series that invited the wider community into the process.

On April 4, 2017, the university commission’s report was formally released at the final gathering in the TRC Chapel Series. Among the commission’s recommendations is that Ambrose engage in activities that confront colonial attitudes, and also create space for mutually beneficial relationships to flourish.

Next steps will involve consulting with Indigenous elders and educators, developing curriculum that builds reconciliation, seeking ways to decolonize the campus culture and honouring an Indigenous understanding of land in the way Ambrose stewards campus space.

2016/17 IMPACT REPORT

Energizing youth ministry What started as a simple “youth conference” in the mid-1940s is 71 years strong and counting — and shows no signs of slowing down.

The 2017 Legacy Youth Conference, held March 17–19, was once again carefully planned and enthusiastically run by a team of 10 Ambrose students.

It brought together high school students from across Canada to meet with God and learn to go deeper in their faith. Centred on the “Created” theme, the LYC looked at what it means to be created in God’s image.

Writer and speaker Brooklyn Lindsey, known for her down-to-earth style and transparency, and passion for justice advocacy, was the featured speaker.

Outdoor soccer set to kick off The Ambrose Lions are sharpening their claws in preparation for Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference outdoor soccer action in the 2018–19 season.

The team joins the basketball, volleyball and indoor soccer (futsal) squads to offer new opportunities for students to grow in mind, body and spirit.

Reaghan Zilkie, who has playing experience at the NCAA and USport levels, will be the Women’s Head Coach.

The men will be led by Adam Monkman, who comes to Ambrose with his Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) Provincial “C” License and is working on his “B” License.

He has experience as an Assistant Coach with the Alberta Soccer Association Provincial Team programs and other grassroots programs.

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Alumni return to help lead Ambrose Ambrose University was pleased to announce that two alumni are stepping into roles as institutional leaders in 2017. Their unique blend of perspective and expertise will be instrumental to the University’s future.

Dr. Pam Nordstrom (Canadian Bible College) is the Vice-President of Academic Affairs. The former Dean of the Faculty of Health, Community and Education at Calgary’s Mount Royal University, Nordstrom is an accomplished scholar with an impressive publication record.

Christopher Primeau (Bachelor of Arts – Behavioural Science) is the Vice-President of Advancement, coming back to the University after serving as Director of Development at the Calgary Dream Centre. He oversees key departments including Enrolment, Communications and Development, which includes alumni and church relations.

God, the Bible and time The 2016 Downey Lectureship held Oct. 19–20, 2016, demonstrates the long-term impact donors have on the lives, knowledge and spiritual formation of students. The lecture series was established in 1982 to honour Murray W. Downey, a founding member of Canadian Bible College who served on faculty for 31 years and was Director of Christian Service for 30 years. The lectures present challenging ideas of interest to the Christian community, featuring exceptional speakers who are experts in their fields.

Dr. Ephraim Radner, from Wycliffe Seminary in Toronto, explored how the Bible reflects the nature of time in the hands of God, the Creator 4

of all things. God creates temporal experience, and the Bible, as God’s creative Word, is therefore “before time” in a real way.

The talks reflected on how reading the Bible deeply and truthfully involves subordinating our limited experience of time to God’s sovereignty over created nature, opening unexplored avenues for understanding Scripture and overcoming certain modern problems associated with reading Scripture.

Growing together The Soul of the Next Economy Forum and Spiritual Emphasis Days — annual events held Sept. 30–Oct. 1, 2016, Sept. 28–29, 2016, respectively, connected Ambrose students with each other and with the wider community.

Hosted by the Ambrose Business program, the Soul of the Next Economy Forum has become a popular hub for entrepreneurs in Calgary and highlights the latest ideas in corporate social responsibility.

Prior to the Forum, students took a twoday break from class to centre learning on God. This annual pause in the life of the university enables students, faculty and staff to reflect on who God is, how His presence can be known more intimately, and how everything at Ambrose can be part of His redeeming purpose for creation. The first day focused on gathering for reflection, and the second day focused on fanning out across the city to serve. Together, both events provided an avenue for the Ambrose community to reflect on how faith is expressed and deepened through learning.

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KNOWLEDGE AND PREPARATION TO SERVE

Your support for Ambrose University helps prepare men and women for wise, joyful and redemptive engagement in the church and society. You grow knowledge and enrich spiritual formation, building the strong foundation necessary to transform lives and communities across Canada and around the world. In 2016–17, support from people like you made a profound difference on students’ lives — inspiring and enabling them to achieve their dreams and to serve God and community.

Gifts inspire and transform

2016/17 IMPACT REPORT

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Raising up the next generation Nicole and Andrew Berg are working as Assistant Youth Pastors at Foothills Alliance Church, Calgary, their path to serving a model of how churches can raise up successive generations of leaders and a reflection of the preparation both received at Ambrose.

Nicole, who completed an Associate in Ministry Diploma, and Andrew, Church Ministries, say the balance between intellectual growth, gaining practical skills and spiritual formation is an Ambrose highlight. “I have learned so much more about our gracious and loving God and about my calling after attending Ambrose,” Nicole says. “At Ambrose, you have professors from a variety of experiences and backgrounds who are passionate, who are also on a learning journey and who want to see the Kingdom of God furthered through the equipping of His saints,” Andrew adds. Both know that what they’ve learned will be pivotal to their futures, enabling them to have a positive influence on the lives of others individually and collectively.

Bringing out the best in students When Alex Noel graduated with a double major in Music and Biology from Ambrose in 2013, he thought he was finished with school. But his education enabled him to become a Community Education Program Coordinator at the Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre — and prompted a return to Ambrose to complete the Bachelor of Education program. His initial job was to facilitate discussions about sexual health and healthy relationships in classrooms across Calgary, but Noel found himself having conversations with young people that just couldn’t be accommodated by his role. Knowing firsthand what

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a critical role a teacher can play in someone’s life, he went back to class to become the person who can make a profound difference in children’s lives.

“I used to think that the quality of a classroom was largely defined by the kids who ended up in it,” Alex says.

“But now I recognize that a lot of it comes down to you as a teacher.

Our job as teachers is to make our class-rooms a place where students grow, and that starts with making sure that we have good expectations for the students and for ourselves.”

Called to be a bridge Amit Nade believes God led his decision to come to Canada from India, and has called the Master of Divinity graduate to be a bridge between different cultures.

Thanks to a Finish Free Scholarship — funded through donations to Ambrose which offset tuition for a student’s final year of study — Amit is now serving some of Calgary’s most vulnerable people as a Housing Case Worker at The Mustard Seed Calgary and as an Associate Pastor at Yeshu Mandali. “I am really thankful to the Lord for this journey,” Amit says, adding that while he has a passion to continue ministering among South Asians, studying at Ambrose Seminary has also broadened his perspective and equipped him with new skills for ministry. “After studying at Ambrose, I can serve confidently in any group of people,” he says, “and I also see the importance of partnering with organizations outside of my own congregation to help the church be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.”

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Inspired by God’s heartbreak

A mission to teach

Meredith Buschart’s passion lies in helping people whose days are filled with poverty, oppression and violence, and who are marginalized socially.

The 2012 BA (Behavioural Science) graduate — who after completing her degree worked at a women’s shelter in Baltimore before earning her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver — wouldn’t have it any other way.

Kendall Delamont graduated from Ambrose with her BA (Behavioural Science) in 2010 and her BEd in 2012, and relies on both as a Grade 4 teacher at Prince of Peace Lutheran School in the Rockyview School District. She brings her passion for teaching and a calling to speak the gospel to young people, integrating faith where it’s appropriate in the nine different subjects she teaches to her students.

“I believe Jesus was the perfect example of unconditional love, and I also believe that I want to be a model of this love in my own life, not only with my friends and family, but in my professional identity as well,” says Meredith, a Psychiatric Social Worker at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan, in Denver. “I’ve asked God to break my heart for what breaks His, and He has done that,” she explains.

Many of those students are non-Christian and have never heard of Jesus. Almost half are ESL students and many students and their families have significant needs.

“So many kids go to school without the love, time and energy they need to receive in their homes,” Kendall says. “Our school is a safe place where children know they are loved. Teaching is a remarkable mission field and I know God can work through me.”

“Now, it’s my duty to respond to that heartbreak with the compassion and conviction that God gave me.” Her Ambrose BA, she says, was essential to this challenging and rewarding career.

“In order to be a social worker, you need three things: experience, passion and ambition,” she says. “Ambrose absolutely gave me that foundational experience.”

Grade 4, it seems, is a key point in students’ lives and a great fit for Delamont. “I can’t imagine any other job where, no matter how crummy the day was, I still get 25 hugs. And if, at the end of the day, my students know I loved them, then that’s a good day.”

Photos (left to right): Amit Nade, Andrew and Nicole Berg, Alex Noel, Meredith Buschart, and Kendall Delamont and student Isaiah Baker.

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CHANGING LIVES

By contributing to Christian post-secondary education of high academic standard, you elevate research, teaching and learning to create a powerful life-changing experience for all. In 2016–17, support from people like you enabled students and faculty to delve into their disciplines with passion and curiosity, living the conviction that God calls them to lives of joyful service.

Investing in knowledge fuels progress

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Advancing critical conversations in Biblical Studies Ambrose students Chelsea Lamb and David Dalwood were chosen to present their research at Society of Biblical Literature’s annual meeting in November 2016 — an impressive opportunity to join seasoned scholars before the oldest and largest learned society devoted to the critical investigation of the Bible.

Keenly interested in Hebrew, the students requested a personalized directed study class in which they could apply modern linguistic theory to ancient Hebrew texts. It’s something undertaken by only a handful of biblical scholars, one of whom, Dr. Colin Toffelmire, teaches at Ambrose. “The more I study, the richer the texts become,” Chelsea said. “For me, learning Hebrew is a part of loving the Bible and its stories.”

Getting to the bottom of fishy fraud The mislabelling of fish in grocery stores and restaurants is a serious issue that threatens consumer confidence, poses health risks and calls into question the integrity of the food industry. Ambrose Genetics 211 students helped tackle the problem in 2016, collecting fish samples from local establishments, arranging for DNA sequencing, and gathering and analyzing data to add to the online Barcode of Life database accessible to researchers worldwide.

The project brought the class subject matter to life, enabling students to learn about DNA while making a

2016/17 IMPACT REPORT

meaningful contribution to science and society. “Having the opportunity to investigate the issue of fish mislabelling … provoked my thinking of how being informed in all areas of society is crucial in order to maintain the standard of stewardship that I believe we are called to as Christians,” noted student Kristen Limacher.

Developing relationships to develop communities For the third consecutive year, students in the International Community Development Travel Study course ventured to the Dominican Republic to immerse themselves in local communities and enhance understanding of the relationships, values and dreams pivotal for shaping communities’ futures.

From May 3–20, 2016, seven students went to the barrio of Maria Auxiliadora in the city of La Vega, where they worked in partnership with TEARS (True Evangelism Always Requires Sacrifice), a mission and development organization. Conducting interviews with people of all walks of life, mapping assets, and compiling and presenting their data, the students helped inform TEARS’ community development strategies going forward.

“We know community development is best achieved when we can bring together partners from a broad network, such as the community, nonprofits, academia and the business world,” said Dr. Randy Poon, Chair of the Business Administration program and project organizer. “This travel study does just that.”

Photos (left to right): Chelsea Lamb. David Dalwood, Community Development Travel Study family and Dominican Republic flag and fraud fish.

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Instituting change Ambrose University helps lead global change through three institutes addressing issues critical to society — and reflecting the role Christians can and must play in creating a better world.

Canadian Poverty Institute Students, practitioners and ministry workers from across Canada and beyond gathered at Ambrose University June 5–23, 2017, sharing thoughts and ideas to respond to one of society’s most vexing challenges: reducing and ending poverty. The inaugural CPI Poverty Studies Summer Institute’s immersed participants in active learning and discussion about the causes and impacts of poverty, and explored leading practices to alleviate and end it. Looking at the material, social and spiritual dimensions of poverty, the CPI’s summer initiative connected

people who are working on poverty in different ways, with an emphasis on practical actions that can be taken to make change.

Flourishing Congregations Institute Through its research and communitybuilding, the FCI plays a vital role in deepening understanding about why congregations thrive, sharing insights that can help to revitalize and invigorate vibrant congregational life.

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Generous support over the past year enabled the FCI to conduct more than 100 interviews and focus groups with church leaders across five Canadian regions, share research findings in various academic and church practitioner settings and produce its first monograph, A Preliminary Look at Flourishing Congregations in Canada: What Church Leaders are Saying. Embarking on its second year, the FCI has a national survey in the works.

Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives The Jaffray Centre is a collaborative training, project development and research hub that examines the way Canadians engage in global missions.

On July 1, 2017, a new two-year Memorandum of Understanding began, bringing the Jaffray Centre together with Tyndale University College’s

Intercultural Ministries Centre to break down organizational and geographic silos. The two intend to reflect on new ways to engage in intercultural studies and missions, and unleash the value in joint development of ministry connections to seek greater Kingdom impact related to global missions, locally and overseas. The partners hope their collaboration will create a model for organizations wishing to accentuate their impact.

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Preparing tomorrow’s leaders: a giving legacy Bill and Marilyn Parsons believe in the transformative power of Christian postsecondary education, a belief they act on by supporting Ambrose University.

“We like to make our presence felt in many ways,” says Bill, who has a long association with Canadian Bible College and Nazarene University College. Strong connections with the visionaries behind these institutes prompted the couple to start donating in the 1980s, a tradition which continued with Ambrose’s creation In 2007. Today, in addition to frequent financial donations, the couple also regularly attends basketball games to watch their granddaughter play — and takes every opportunity to champion the value of an Ambrose education.

“Bill and I both believe in post-secondary education, and certainly believe in Seminary education,” Marilyn explains. “We want the education provided at Ambrose to be good; to know they have good leaders in Biology and a good Business department. We see great value in smaller classrooms and professors who care about their students, and believe that’s important.”

“My grandfather was instrumental in starting the bible school movement in Canada,” Bill adds, “so our roots in religious education go way back.

It’s important to us that academic quality stays high.”

The couple sees donating as a way to make a difference in students’ lives, and ultimately in the wider community, by giving young people a strong academic and spiritual base.

“By donating, you’re making an impact on society by helping with the education of young people,” Marilyn notes. “The world needs leaders and we’re influencing the leaders of tomorrow. Ambrose students graduate with a degree that’s worth something and they’ll be able to go out and make a difference.”

Marilyn and Bill Parsons

“We don’t give a lot of money,” Bill adds. “But we have a sense that we are helping many. It goes to wherever it’s needed most. You don’t have to give a million dollars to make a difference.”

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THIS IS AMBROSE

940

Share of Revenue 2016-2017 Tuition and student fees 52%

student population

Donations and constituent support 21%

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Government grants 18%

average class size

Sales, rent and other 9%

19:1

Share of Operating Expenses 2016-2017

student to faculty ratio

Employee compensation and benefits 65%

#2

Operating supplies 17%

in Canada for student-faculty interaction

Financing 8% Scholarships and bursaries 6%

90%

Facilities 4%

Behavioural Science grads employed or in grad or after degrees

Share of Donations 2016-2017

Education grads get teaching jobs upon graduation

Churches and Denominations $1,994,863.66

48.27%

9.05%

Individuals $1,332,227.91

10.44%

English Literature grads in degreerelated occupations

Corporations/ Business $431,431.64

32.24%

Foundations/ Charities $374,117.31 Complete financial statements are available on the Ambrose University website

Ambrose Alumni around the world CANADA 12,471 USA 804

EUROPE 65

CARIBBEAN 7 CENTRAL AMERICA 17

MIDDLE EAST 8 AFRICA 32

ASIA 63

SE ASIA 34

SOUTH AMERICA 16

AUSTRALIA/ NEW ZEALAND 15

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AMBROSE UNIVERSITY

SHARING THE ROAD AHEAD

Ambrose University may be young in chronology, in its current iteration, but it is steeped in Christian intellectual and spiritual traditions that reach back millennia. That history has led the University to its present, and will help it chart new horizons. What does the future hold for Ambrose? Growing in enrolment, faculty, research and community engagement, the University is on a path to prepare students for the ever-increasing challenges of employment and service, providing the foundations upon which rewarding, successful lives will be built — and communities transformed. The following highlight some of the expected avenues of progress in coming years.

Breaking down financial barriers Affordability continues to be a challenge for some students, and prevents some from realizing their God-given potential. Ambrose will continue to explore opportunities for a needs-based scholarship program, including turning to its community of support to ensure bright young people overcome financial hardship — and can fully serve.

Supporting students’ mental health The mental well-being of post-secondary students across Canada is a significant concern, and Ambrose will also seek ways to promote mental health on its campus.

Over the next two years, Ambrose will develop a comprehensive mental health strategy that will bolster current wellness initiatives and also support new initiatives that broaden and deepen the commitment to mentally healthy communities.

Introducing new programs Ambrose’s popularity and academic quality create high student demand.

Proposals for social science majors in Psychology and Sociology, which the University hopes to launch in the fall of 2018, are in development. Given the success of the Bachelor of Science program, the potential of a Kinesiology program is being explored. There is also interest in transitioning the Diploma in Acting into a BA (Theatre).

Walking toward truth and reconciliation The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action outlines a path forward to deal with Canada’s legacy of colonization and residential schools in a way that will to lead toward reconciliation. As a university and as a Christian community, Ambrose recognizes these harms and recognizes the attitudes and ideas that have justified them in the past. From this recognition, Ambrose commits to repent, listen and be ready to enter into new and respectful relationships with the Indigenous peoples of Treaty 7.

Inspiring great teachers Teaching excellence and quality facultystudent interactions are the hallmarks of an Ambrose education. To ensure these continue to characterize the Ambrose experience, the Teaching and Learning Committee is developing teaching quality standards, and new faculty exchange and mentorship programs will be launched to structure the University’s teaching culture.

2016/17 IMPACT REPORT

Making a better world Ambrose’s three institutes — The Canadian Poverty Institute, Flourishing Congregations Institute and Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives — enhance the University’s focus on applied research training and excellence. The University is committed to continuing this meaningful contribution to provincial, national and global conversations about “real world” challenges and opportunities.

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Voices of gratitude Hear about the impact of your gift directly from students: youtube.com/user/AmbroseUniversity/videos (click on Ambrose Tuition Free Day)

www.ambrose.edu 150 Ambrose Circle SW Calgary, AB T3H 0L5 Canada

To learn more about the profound difference gifts to Ambrose University make possible, please contact: Christopher Primeau Vice-President of Advancement Christopher.Primeau@ambrose.edu (403) 410-2000 14

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