Catherine van Reenen
Valedictorian – Catherine van Reenen – Faculty of Arts
Catherine van Reenen is graduating with a 4-yr Bachelor of Arts degree from the department of Rhetoric, Writing and Communications with a strong interest in religion, culture and philosophy.
She credits her superb professors for her “successful, challenging, and exciting academic career” at UWinnipeg and she particularly values the lively and interdisciplinary field of rhetoric and communication. She feels her degree gives students “the analytical and practical skills to navigate the sometimes messy and often strange territory of our mediated world with patience, ingenuity, and finesse—even when we find ourselves without a map”.
Van Reenen enters an MA program in Media Studies at Concordia University this fall. She has been awarded a Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and will examine how the Enlightenment continues to structure public discourse about religion and science in emergent public spheres—in particular, online public spheres. She intends to pursue a PhD and eventually become a professor.
With a grade point average of 4.31, van Reenen has received numerous scholarship and awards throughout her academic career at UWinnipeg, including: Academic Proficiency Scholarship (Herbert L. Draper Fund); Dean’s Honour List-Student of Highest Distinction; Isbister Undergraduate Scholarship; Scholarship in Rhetoric and Communications; Rev. John H. and Mrs. Myrtle (Webster) Shemilt Scholarship; Academic Proficiency Scholarship (Winnipeg Rh Institute); Gold Medal for Achievement in a Major (4-Year), Rhetoric and Communications; Gold Medal for Achievement in a Major (4-Year), Rhetoric and Communications; and University Silver Medal for the Second Highest Standing in Arts (for Overall Achievement in a 4-year degree).
The University of Winnipeg community congratulates Catherine van Reenen for her many accomplishments.
