Emily Dueck's story

AMBS has always seemed like a really great place for furthering education in biblical studies and theology. I have never had an interest in being a pastor, though, so I did not think I would end up coming here. In recent months, however, I realized that AMBS has more to offer than theology and Bible. Not only do they offer an MA program, but also an MA in Peace Studies, which had my interest right away. I have always been interested in doing studies and work in this area, but wasn’t sure that I would get the perspective I wanted in a secular university. Being dedicated to an Anabaptist, pacifist way of life, I was excited to study in an environment with people whose viewpoints I could identify with.

Having only just graduated from Canadian Mennonite University with a Bachelor of Arts in History in ‘06, and having various interests in travelling, learning languages and doing service work, I was not sure I wanted to start a graduate program this soon. However, since I have been at AMBS I have been reaffirmed in various ways that this is the place for me. Not only have I found the community to be more youthful (not just age-wise) than I expected, but I have also found my classes, my readings and visiting speakers very inspirational. I have also been given various opportunities to apply and further my studies at conferences, such as the Annual Student Seminar at the Mennonite Central Committee offices at the United Nations in New York.

In the future I hope to work for a development agency, or an NGO such as MCC, who work around the issues of peace and justice. I think AMBS is guiding me in the right direction of this dream as I continue learning about conflict, international relations and what it means to be a follower of Jesus in our broken world.