We are Ray and Fenella Temmerman, a retired professional couple here in Winnipeg. Neither of us have ever been students at the U of M. We have, however, had much to do with U of M students through having them as tenants in our home on Dorchester Ave. over a period of 12 years. The experience of 48 students over those years was a joy.
Since then, we have maintained active involvement through the chapel at St Paul’s College at the university, and through regular gatherings with international students in our present home in Villas on the Seine, 1185 St Anne’s Rd.
Ray grew up in southern Manitoba. He completed a course in Automative Services Technology at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, then sold auto parts across western Canada. Later he moved to Australia, where he completed a course of studies in theology and religion, then worked as a chaplain with Interchurch Trade and Industry Mission. Returning to Canada, he sold print advertising in southern Manitoba, then worked with the Federal Government, first in computer systems and later in Human Resources. In retirement, he completed a Masters in Sacred Theology through the University of Winnipeg, and has continued his research and writing since that time.
Fenella is from England, an Occupational Therapist who has enjoyed a career spanning the UK, India, the USA and Canada. She is also an accomplished textile artist.
Over the years, we have learned enough about the experience of international students to decide to launch a project somewhat similar to that operating successfully for some 25 years now at Durham University Faculty of Theology in the UK. There, all students are connected with mentor families, to meet in the mentor’s home three times in a term.
We are not looking to connect all students to mentor families. Rather, our focus is international students, people who come to Winnipeg from very different cultures and circumstances and often have many challengs making sense of where they are now.
We launched the ISC project in the 2025 fall session, with 8 students and mentors. From that we have learned much, including the centrality of meals together in the mentor’s home. (Mentors are welcome to invite their student to other activities as well, but meals together are essential.)
We are presently accepting applicants from both students and potential mentors, for the start of the program’s second year in September.
The program involves three meal gatherings in each term.
The first is shortly after the fall term opens, a meal funded by donations already received, and held in the Belltower Café (thanks to Peter Ginakes for his willingness to hold it there). That meal is an opportunity for all mentors and student to meet together, get to know each other. Thereafter, each mentor family and student commit to having a meal in the mento’s home twice more in the fall term and three times in the winter term. The agreement ends with the end of the winter term.
It is quite possible that mentors and students will continue their relationship beyond that, but it then becomes one of friendship, not a part of the International Student Connections project. (For example, a student with whom we became connected some years prior to the launch of the program invited Ray to join him when he returned to Uganda for the first time in 8 years. Staying with his family near Kampala, and travelling somewhat to the east of Uganda, was a marvellous experience for Ray.)
We hope U of M alumni will be interested in becoming mentors for international students, befriending and chatting with them over meals, and so giving them a much better chance to learn about life in Winnipeg, become integrated into life here. The result, we believe, will be students who are better able to complete their studies and make their way in life.
It will also provide new experiences, insights and understandings for the mentors – and perhaps even opportunities for international travel.