The King's Connection Magazine Volume 23 Number 2//Fall 2012 | Page 9

featured article

Educating for Shalom

Shalom at work

In his inaugural address, President Fernhout called for King’s to
make its contribution to higher learning by means of ‘Education
for Shalom’. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace but also
means justice, fulfillment and delight. President Fernhout spoke
of shalom as, “a vision of every creature in community with
every other, living in harmony and security toward the joy and
well-being for all.”

The approach of ‘Education for Shalom’ resonated with faculty.
In his inaugural speech President Fernhout also called for
high academic achievement both for faculty in their individual
research, and as they educate students in the context of a faithbased institution.

“King’s should stand out as a place of such delight,” President
Fernhout said in his address. “Celebrating shalom,
the wonder and well-being of the cosmos
wherever we can find it. This is an
essential part of our Christian
witness in the wide world
of higher education. May
we never become
complacent about the
delight of learning.”

“He has been very supportive of both senior academic
leadership and our faculty,” says Professor of Chemistry
Dr. Peter Mahaffy. President Fernhout has been a tireless
promoter of the work of our faculty with students
including teaching, research, and mentoring.”
During President Fernhout’s term he
has applauded faculty successes
including Dr. Peter Mahaffy’s 3M
Teaching Award, Dr. Kristopher
Ooms, Dr. Joe Hoffert and Dr.
Andrew Tappenden’s National
Science and Engineering
Research Council Discovery,
and continued grants
funding for The King’s
Centre for Visualization in
Science, just to name a
few. He celebrates success,
welcomes new faculty and
is a model of meaningful
involvement in the lives of
students.

“Dr. Fernhout
is a man of personal
warmth and Godly integrity
who has built a reputation
of trust for King’s. He has a
high regard for the school and
is sensitive of the morale of
the institution and as a result
King’s has a good, warm
atmosphere.”

‘Education for Shalom’
is the driving philosophy
guiding President Fernhout
in his actions at King’s,
including the development
of the 2010-2015 Strategic
Direction. This document
– cited by many as an
important part of President
Fernhout’s legacy – rejuvenated
the institutional vision for King’s.
During his time at King’s, the
– Don Harder, Superintendent,
It has been the driving force behind
institution has received consistently
Evangelical Free Church
the focus on our vision and mission,
high marks from the student surveys
of Canada
on increasing student enrolment and
done by the Globe and Mail and by
making changes in administrative departments
MacLean’s. King’s has been a leader in its
including the creation of Advancement, and a strong
sector with “top of the class” grades for Studentfocus on fiscal stewardship.
Faculty Interaction, Class Size, Quality of Teaching and Most
Satisfied Students in the Globe & Mail Canadian University
“We are thankful for the excellent leadership that he has given
Report. King’s received top marks in the entire country for
to King’s during his tenure,” says Board Chair Bill Diepeveen.
nurturing students as reported in MacLean’s magazine. As
“In his years at King’s, Dr. Fernhout has led the development
well there have been many program successes including, the
of a comprehensive five-year Strategic Plan and created a
environmental studies program being granted professional
decentralized leadership structure in a positive climate of
accreditation from Environmental Careers Organization (ECO)
support and recognition. “
(the first program of its kinds to receive this commendation in
Canada), Education faculty saw the addition of the secondary
education program, Politics-History-Economics (PHE) program
was created, and Computing Science was restructured with the
hiring of new professors.

The King’s Connection /// Fall 2012 /// 7