This year鈥檚 iteration of the longstanding Global Journalism Internship program will see students from 杏吧原创鈥檚 Bachelor of Journalism and Master of Journalism programs take up 12-week internships in Ghana, Uganda or Zambia with the Ottawa-based Canadian organization .

The interns will collaborate with local partners to produce the next season of the podcast that showcases the nature-based solutions being practiced by African communities to counter climate change. The interns will also be sharing their experiences through blogs posted to the journalism program site .

Interns heading to Africa this year, front row L-R: Victoria Silva McGuire, Kyla Silva, Sarah Harb, Georgia Looman and Stefanja Ottier. Back row L-R Ben Jorgenson, Dan Arnold and Matheus Modesto-Nelson.

杏吧原创鈥檚 Global Journalism Internships unfolding this year are the continuation of a program that has been in operation since 2006 and has sent more than 300 杏吧原创 journalism students to the Global South on media internships.

鈥淭hese internships provide life-changing experiential learning opportunities for our students,鈥� said Allan Thompson, the founder of the internship program and currently the head of 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program. 鈥淥ver two decades, I have been determined to keep these internships going because of the remarkable life experience they offer for our students,鈥� Thompson said.

杏吧原创 intern Madison Eldridge, on the ground last year in Uganda.

Working with Farm Radio partners on the ground, the 杏吧原创 interns will identify and plan for podcast episodes and undertake field travel to rural communities to record video, audio and photographs, with a focus on audio. In the end, they will work on the editing and production of podcast episodes, as well as video and written stories.

The 杏吧原创 internships were originally an offshoot of the partnership 杏吧原创 forged in 2006 with the journalism school at the National University of Rwanda, the Rwanda Initiative project that operated from 2006 to 2012, fostering journalism education and independent media in post-genocide Rwanda. Over the first few years of the program, all the 杏吧原创 interns took up placements with Rwandan media outlets.

杏吧原创 intern Abyssinia Abebe on the ground last year in Cote d’Ivoire.

But even after the Rwanda partnership wound down, the internships continued, in partnership with several other organizations across Africa, including Farm Radio International.

For the last four years, Farm Radio鈥檚 work on the听听project has been the primary focus of the 杏吧原创 internships, producing the听Nature Answers听podcast that听shares stories from rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa, where some of the most vulnerable people on earth are turning to nature for solutions to a changing climate.

You can听听from Season 4 of听Nature Answers.

This year鈥檚 杏吧原创 interns include:

• Dan Arnold has just completed the third year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 four-year Bachelor of Journalism program and is taking up an internship in Ghana.
• Sarah Harb just completed the first year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Master of Journalism program and will be travelling to Uganda.
• Ben Jorgenson also just completed the first year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Master of Journalism program and will take up an internship in Ghana.
• Georgia Looman is heading into the fourth year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Bachelor of Journalism program and will travel to Ghana.
• Matheus Modesto-Nelson is heading into the fourth year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Bachelor of Journalism program and will be on internship in Zambia.
• Stefanja Ottier has just completed the second year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Bachelor of Journalism program and will take up an internship in Zambia.
• Victoria Silva McGuire has just completed the first year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Master of Journalism program and is headed to Uganda.
• Kyla Silva has just completed the third year of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Bachelor of Journalism program and is taking up an internship in Zambia.

Farm Radio鈥檚 mandate since its creation in 1979 has been to use radio as a vehicle to achieve development goals and to explore how to get people to listen to useful programming that brings about change. Various Farm Radio projects over the years have focused on farming, gender equality, sexual health and mental health. The focus on radio as a medium has expanded to include another important media platform 鈥� the mobile phone.

The 杏吧原创 interns recently underwent a two-day pre-departure orientation exercise at Farm Radio, led by the organization鈥檚 communications manager Blair Amyotte.

鈥淲e鈥檙e very grateful for our continued partnership with 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program,鈥欌�� Amyotte said. 鈥淓very year, we get an incredible group of candidates who are eager, professional and excited to learn and grow. I have great confidence that this group travelling to Zambia, Ghana and Uganda this summer as part of our Nature-based Solutions project with听Global Affairs Canada, will amplify voices and stories from some incredible communities across听the continent.鈥�

Farm Radio鈥檚听On Air听project is funded by Global Affairs Canada. The 杏吧原创 travel awards that help fund these internships are supported by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs.

Freelance journalist Jessica Patterson and 杏吧原创 journalism professor Kanina Holmes have been awarded the prestigious fellowship for their project听鈥淎I Literacy for Canadian Journalism Education.鈥�

Freelance journalist Jessica Patterson (left) and journalism professor Kanina Holmes have been awarded the Michener 鈥� L. Richard O鈥橦agan Fellowship for Journalism Education

The project aims to develop, test, and disseminate educational modules that will prepare journalism students for the critical and ethical use of artificial intelligence in Canadian newsrooms.

At a time when many media organizations are听establishing听guidelines for AI use, the project听seeks听to strengthen public trust in journalism by ensuring future journalists are equipped to use these tools responsibly.

Patterson is a freelance journalist, researcher, and instructor with 20 years of experience across Canadian and international media and is a graduate of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Master of Journalism program. Her independent research on AI adoption in Canadian newsrooms . She teaches Advanced Practices in Multimedia Storytelling at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

Holmes is a graduate of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Bachelor of Journalism program and has been on the faculty since 2003. Before joining 杏吧原创, she worked in daily journalism for 20 years, including stints in local and national radio with CBC Ottawa and CBC Whitehorse, local and national television (with CTV in Ottawa, Global News in Winnipeg and CBC Ottawa and CBC North), and as a senior correspondent for Reuters. She is currently editor-in-chief of the Yukon Magazine and recently spent three years on a leave from 杏吧原创 as executive producer with CBC North. She is also a candidate for a Doctorate of Education at Simon Fraser University.

鈥淭his is such a formative time for journalism and for journalism education,” Holmes said. “This award will give Jessica and I the chance to figure out ways to build media literacy, critical thinking, and productive and ethical uses of AI, both in the classroom and in the field of journalism for the next generation of reporters.鈥�杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program will serve as the institutional partner for the project and will pilot AI literacy modules in some journalism courses, involve journalism students in module testing and evaluation and host an instructor training workshop.

鈥淭his project addresses head-on an urgent need identified across Canadian journalism programs,鈥欌�� said Allan Thompson, the head of 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program. 鈥淎s educators, we recognize the gap between newsroom expectations for AI literacy and current pedagogical resources. We urgently need tested, ready-to-use curriculum modules that balance practical AI tool training with critical ethical frameworks.鈥�

The Michener Foundation also announced the winner of the Michener-Deacon Fellowship for Investigative Journalism, awarded to Jordan Michael Smith for his project,听鈥淭he Hague Mothers.鈥�听 Smith鈥檚 project will investigate a critical loophole in the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction that can result in children being returned to potentially abusive parents, even when risks are known. The work will听centre听on the case of Thuy Nguyen, a Canadian woman whose children were returned to their father in Poland despite his status on Interpol鈥檚 most-听wanted list.

The Michener fellowship recipients will be听honoured听at the annual听Michener Awards ceremony at Rideau Hall on Thursday, June 18.听This event unveils the winners of the Michener Award for public service journalism in Canada. Finalists for the 2026 Michener Award will be announced next week.

The Michener Awards听honour, celebrate, and promote excellence in Canadian public service journalism. Established in 1970 by the late Right听Honourable听Roland Michener, Governor General of Canada from 1967 to 1974, the Michener Awards are Canada鈥檚 premier journalism award. The Michener Awards Foundation鈥檚 voluntary Board of Directors administers the award, in partnership with the Rideau Hall Foundation and with sponsorship from BMO, Cision, and Power Corporation of Canada. Learn more at听.

Mary McGuire with this year’s CBC North intern Grace Knapp.

The program was the brainchild of long-time journalism professor Mary McGuire, who had to leave her position on 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism faculty in 2018 because of a terminal cancer diagnosis. She encouraged CBC North to create the internships in tandem with the travel fund, which has been supplemented by donations from friends and colleagues. The internship arrangement with CBC was just renewed for another five years.

McGuire began her journalism career with CBC in Whitehorse and decided that her legacy at 杏吧原创 would be a fund to offset the costs of travel and living expenses for 杏吧原创 students who took up paid internships in the north.

“It was lovely to meet Grace and wish her well as she heads off to the Yukon on an extraordinary adventure and learning experience to听听launch her journalistic career at CBC in Whitehorse,” McGuire said. “Canada鈥檚 North is a unique part of the country full of fascinating stories for young journalists with a sense for curiosity and a passion to help others understand part of the country few get to experience.听听She will carry the lessons of its remarkable geography, culture and peoples with her through her life, as I did after launching my career there.”

Knapp was born and raised in the rural west end of Ottawa and completed a Bachelor of Global and International Studies at 杏吧原创 before enrolling in the two-year Master of Journalism program she has just finished. She says she initially thought of doing international policy work but was drawn to journalism as 鈥渁 more immediate way to explore how power and institutions shape people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 really grateful for an opportunity like the CBC North internship because it鈥檚 a chance to live and work in a part of the country I鈥檝e always wanted to experience, while continuing to grow as a journalist,鈥� Knapp said. 鈥淚 think there is so much to learn from the community and from the CBC team, so I鈥檓 looking forward to stepping outside my comfort zone and seeing where it takes me.鈥�

Mervin Brass, Senior Managing Director for CBC North, has been involved with the internship program from its beginnings in 2020.

“The opportunity provides a supportive learning environment for new journalists to develop the skills required to work in a newsroom,” Brass said. “Our journalists travel to remote northern communities to meet with people and gather their stories to share locally and with the rest of Canada. Through these experiences, new journalists better understand the nuance and complexity of northern stories while also seeing the beauty of northern Canada. This work placement is a life-changing experience.”

Mary McGuire at a Dec. 1 event held to mark the extension of the CBC North internship program she instigated in 2020.

CBC President Marie-Philippe Bouchard came to 杏吧原创 last December to make the announcement of the extension of the internship program and to thank McGuire personally.

鈥淛ournalism internships like this one are essential. They help forge strong journalistic skills which are needed now more than ever, given today鈥檚 environment of polarization, misinformation and disinformation,鈥� Bouchard said. 鈥淚t gives interns a unique opportunity to live and work in the north.鈥�

杏吧原创鈥檚 partnership with CBC North has already given five journalism graduates the rare opportunity to work in Canada鈥檚 North. The McGuire fund will have resources to continue for many more years . And 杏吧原创鈥檚 new Certificate in Journalism in Indigenous Communities also holds the promise of producing more Indigenous journalism grads who could also take up such opportunities.

McGuire said she’s proud that her dream lives on. “The dream was to partner with the CBC to create a paid summer internship in the North for a 杏吧原创 Journalism graduate and create a travel fund to help cover the high airfare and housing costs to make it possible for a student to do it. Thanks to the CBC and so many friends, colleagues and supporters for helping make that dream come true and continue.”

杏吧原创 offers a number of internship opportunities for students to apply the journalism skills they learn in the classroom, build their portfolios and open doors to career opportunities after graduation. But before the CBC North partnership, few of those short-term internship opportunities existed in newsrooms in northern or Indigenous communities in Canada. The high cost of travel and accommodation is a barrier to most students.

One part of McGuire鈥檚 legacy at 杏吧原创 will be this program that helps to introduce another generation of students to Canada鈥檚 North, to follow in her footsteps.

Popplewell’s article was published online by The Walrus on April 15 and is slated to be the cover article in the June edition of the prestigious magazine.

Journalism professor Brett Popplewell on the ground in Nuuk, Greenland.

Popplewell travelled in February to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, and his feature chronicles how local residents were bracing for invasion.

鈥淭he implausible threat of an American invasion had transformed the quiet Arctic city of Nuuk into an unlikely stage for a global showdown,鈥� Popplewell says. The remote community had become 鈥渁 rallying point for NATO troops and international diplomats all trying to preserve the rules-bound world order.鈥�

Popplewell is an associate professor of journalism at 杏吧原创 and the bestselling author of Outsider: An Old Man, a Mountain, and the Search for a Hidden Past. A contributing writer for The Walrus, he has also written for听Bloomberg, Businessweek,听Mother Jones, the听Globe and Mail, the听Toronto Star,听Sportsnet, and听惭补肠濒别补苍鈥檚, among other publications.

On top of his full-time workload as a faculty member in the School of Journalism and Communication, Popplewell is often out in the field as a reporter. He was intrigued by the unfolding situation in Greenland and convinced The Walrus to commission his report.

鈥淲hat struck me most from my trip was how deeply Trump鈥檚 threats had unsettled local residents,鈥� Popplewell said. 鈥淧eople were on edge. Several told me they鈥檇 drawn up escape plans to Canada and elsewhere.

鈥淭he longer I spent on the ground, the more I understood just how personally the annexation threats had hit people. But more than that, I was struck by the willingness many had to share their stories in the hope that doing so might help shape their island鈥檚 fate. I hope this reporting will add some clarity to this continuing puzzle.鈥�

Student projects with community partners used media production and design tools to address such topics as civic and youth engagement, Indigenous storytelling and sovereignty, community third spaces, municipal and provincial policies and governance and community empowerment. The annual capstone event was this year dubbed 鈥淩eal Designs 鈥� Taking Flight.鈥�

Students from the Arrival Initiative project explain their work with the Arnprior Museum.

鈥淲e are at our core storytellers,鈥欌�� said Prof. St茅fy听McKnight, the interim program director in media production and design and leader of the project.

鈥淲e鈥檙e also acknowledging the folks who have been the longest and the original storytellers here in Ottawa, the Algonquin nation. We鈥檙e very fortunate to have been able to work with various Indigenous partners throughout this year.鈥�

Prof. St茅fy McKnight is the interim program director in media production and design.

McKnight noted that much of the capstone work was the result of deep engagement with community partners in Ottawa, who also have a stake in the storytelling.

This is McKnight鈥檚 fifth year supervising and teaching the MPAD Capstone Projects course.

Students created documentaries, websites, social media campaigns and strategies, as well as workshop and event plans. And the entire exhibition was supported by student fundraising.

The capstone exhibit showcased nine student projects with community partners:

• 613Sounds is a podcast series that highlights Ottawa鈥檚 local music scene, exploring how the city鈥檚 musical environment fosters a sense of community and belonging. Across genres, a range of interviews spotlight independent local artists.
• Crow鈥檚 Path/Aandeg Miikana produced a number of deliverables for Indigenous youth in Thunder Bay, including a documentary Where the Crows Gather, highlighting youth resilience and countering negative portrayals.
• The Arrival Initiative partnered with Emily Stovel, curator and manager of culture for the District of Arnprior Museum. Students developed a workshop to support a project to train local participants to collect interviews with people who migrated to Arnprior in the last 50 years.
• Future Voices partnered with the Institute for Collaborative Innovation Canada to help youth engage with Canadian civic matters. An interactive website takes audiences on a train journey through a fictional representation of Canada鈥檚 future.
• Little Sips was the result of a student partnership with the City of Ottawa鈥檚 Infrastructure and Water Services Department to educate city residents about how to protect the city鈥檚 water systems. A four-part informational video series will be part of the city鈥檚 educational initiatives.
• The Withering Trillium produced a short film and social media series to highlight Bill 5, a piece of provincial legislation that many contend poses risks to the environment. Students partnered with Prof. Chris Russill, academic director at Re.Climate, a centre of climate communication and public engagement.
• The Zine Project, in partnership with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, created an online presence to encourage the creation of zines to boost Indigenous youth mental health. The project promotes zines and zine-making workshops.
• City Studio Ottawa translated the complex data of Ottawa鈥檚 City Transportation Asset Management Plan by using an animated video to provide clearer and more accessible material on how the city evaluates the state of its infrastructure.
• Unedited Women developed a social media campaign, website and video testimonials to create a new branding palette to help Osa Natalie Fraser鈥檚 program reach a wider audience.

To raise funds for the capstone project, students hosted a live show at the Ollies campus bar in January. And local realtor Team Makan Real Estate also supported the capstone event.

As 杏吧原创 journalism professor Matthew Pearson explained, a zine is a publication that often addresses topics from an independent or alternative viewpoint, emphasizing editorial control by the producer. Zines can break from conventional formats and are often photocopied, folded or stapled.

Final assembly of the zines produced by students in Matthew Pearson’s Trauma-Informed Journalism class

Many see a resurgence in zines as a reaction to the ephemeral nature of today鈥檚 pervasive digital media world, a place where content can be here today and gone tomorrow. Zines are a rollback to a more analogue time, permanent publications that you can hold in your hand and will never go away.

Journalism professor Matthew Pearson

And as Pearson pointed out, zines as a medium often provide space for marginalized voices and stories that are often excluded from traditional journalism.

In a way, what we now call zines have been used throughout history: in the secretly written and circulated literature of the Soviet era, in 1970s-era fanzines about punk culture and direct action, in the 1990s when zines explored feminist topics and described experiences with sexism, mental illness, body image and more.

鈥淶ines are a creative act and at times, even an act of resistance,鈥欌�� said Pearson, who used zine production as a class project in his course Trauma-Informed Journalism.

鈥淚 was interested in bringing zines and zine-making into the classroom, especially at a time when I see so many young people gravitating to this form,鈥欌�� Pearson said. 鈥淪tudents created zines to explore ways to approach the coverage of a range of issues with greater care.鈥�

A number of Pearson鈥檚 students spoke about their experiences with the zine project during the April 1 event in the school鈥檚 resource centre.

鈥淎t a time when journalism feels increasingly dehumanized because of AI 鈥� it was really special to work in such an imperfect and human medium,鈥� said fourth-year journalism student Elissa Mendes, who was part of a team producing a zine called 鈥淗ow to report with care – even when it feels like the world is on fire.鈥�

鈥淚t was just really nice to be able to operate outside of the framework of what was significant, interesting and new and satisfying to corporate media and focusing on what sells and generate clicks and instead, focus on how we can serve communities,鈥� Mendes said.

Abyssinia Abebe, also a fourth-year journalism student, spoke of her team鈥檚 experience producing a zine called 鈥淭he War on Women 鈥� online gender-based harassment.鈥�

鈥淎ddressing this online-based harassment is about addressing misogyny in our society and that鈥檚 what we tried to get at here,鈥欌�� Abebe said.

Some of the zines produced by students in the Trauma-Informed Journalism class

Another of those who spoke at the event was 2024 journalism graduate Laura Blanchette, producer of the Mid City zine that focuses on municipal politics. Notably, Blanchette launched the Mid City zine project 鈥� which recently produced its ninth issue 鈥� with the support of The Peter Mansbridge Emerging Reporter Fund, a 杏吧原创 award designed to support undergraduate and graduate journalism students pursuing an innovative research or reporting project with a focus on topics of governance and public social policy.

Blanchette spoke about a resurgence in 鈥榓nalogue鈥� publications that keep things local and focus on community.

She sees the mission of her zine as 鈥渂ringing people into politics, especially city politics and local politics because that is where I think we can have a big impact, as citizens and as journalists.鈥�

The Grief Cafe zine produced by Matthew Pearson and illustrator Sara Mizannojehdehi, was released March 31

The journalism school event took place the day after Pearson launched his own zine – The Grief Caf茅: a hands-on guide to heartache and healing 鈥� at an emotional event held at the Happy Goat coffee shop, on Laurel St. in Ottawa. Working with illustrator Sara听Mizannojehdehi (a graduate of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Bachelor of Media Production and Design), Pearson produced a powerful collection about grief and how to deal with the aftermath of losing a loved one.

Alboim’s remarkable career and his deep love and care for his family – wife Kathy, children Jennifer, Jesse and Jaime and his seven grandchildren – were celebrated in two hours of powerful, emotional and at times hilarious tributes.

The best way to take in the event is to watch the recording, which has been preserved on the journalism program’s YouTube site.

A veritable Who’s Who of Canadian journalism and public life attended the service. A gallery of photographs from the event is featured below.

Alboim’s family has established the to support students in the School of Journalism and Communication.

Audio technologist David Sarazin leads prospective students through a newscast exercise.

The recruitment fair was staged all over the 杏吧原创 campus, with presentations for the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs clustered in Richcraft Hall, also home to the School of Journalism and Communication.

In total, five Journalism faculty members, three members of staff and two Journalism students took part in the day-long recruitment exercise.

The program and networking fair took place in the Richcraft atrium from 9:30 to noon, with a table and representatives for every 杏吧原创 program.

A round of detailed information sessions rounded out the morning and early afternoon. The School of Journalism and Communication held an initial joint information session at 11 a.m. featuring Irena Knezevic, the undergraduate supervisor for Communication and Media Studies, Allan Thompson, program head for Journalism and Stefy McKnight, interim program director for the Bachelor of Media Production and Design.

Video technologist Dave Elliott provides instructions to prospective students taking part in a newscast exercise.

At noon, separate and more in-depth information sessions for Journalism, Communication and Media Studies and the Bachelor of Media Production and Design were offered, with Aneurin Bosley, the journalism undergraduate supervisor leading the journalism session.

More than 90 participants registered for Journalism studio tours that took place between 2 p.m. and 3:30. Participants started in either the audio studio or video studio, then swapped places after 45 minutes.

Journalism students Kennedy Gillingham and Nahan Cox helped out with information sessions.

During the hands-on workshops, Adrian Harewood provided a primer on audio storytelling, followed by a mock radio newscast workshop led by audio technologist David Sarazin.

At the same time, in video, Kanina Holmes took participants through an explanation of 杏吧原创鈥檚 video journalism offerings and then video technologist Dave Elliott guided those who wanted to take a turn on camera, reading a newscast from the teleprompter.

To finish off the day, Stefy McKnight led a tour of the a media production and design project located in Dunton Tower.

Thanks to all those who gave up their Saturday to take part, including faculty members Aneurin Bosley, Adrian Harewood, Kanina Holmes, Stefy McKnight and Allan Thompson, staff members Dave Elliott, Pam Lamba and David Sarazin and journalism students Kennedy Gillingham and Nathan Cox.

But most important, thanks to the prospective students and family members who came to check out 杏吧原创.

杏吧原创 University鈥檚 journalism program is now accepting applications to seven unique Emerging Reporter Funds that have been set up to support students looking to produce impactful works of journalism. The funds have been established to support a variety of journalism projects in areas such as social justice, science and in-depth reporting.

Made possible by the generous support of multiple donors, the Emerging Reporter Funds will allow Journalism students at the undergraduate and graduate levels to gain the professional experience needed to produce meaningful journalism work without the financial burden often involved in pursuing this type of focused, intensive reporting.

The funds are valued between $1,500 and $6,500 and are being offered through The Future of Journalism Initiative (FJI) 鈥� a collaborative research hub at 杏吧原创 where journalists, academics and students work together and independently on innovative research projects that further the collective knowledge and understanding of journalism practice.

For eight decades, the 杏吧原创 School of Journalism and Communication has been at the forefront of professional practice and on the front lines of inquiry into journalism鈥檚 role in society. The Emerging Reporter Funds are just one way the school is granting students a chance to contribute to the public discourse and kickstart their reporting careers during their studies.

The seven Emerging Reporter Funds available to students are as follows:

• Leonard Shifrin and Louise Dulude Canadian Social Policy Emerging Reporter Fund 鈥� valued at $6,500
• Shireen Abu Akleh Emerging Reporter Fund in Social Justice Journalism 鈥� valued at $5,000
• The Peter Mansbridge Emerging Reporter Fund 鈥� valued at $4,000
• Susan Cardinal Emerging Reporter Fund 鈥� valued at $2,500
• Bell Media Future of Journalism Initiative Emerging Reporting Fund 鈥� valued at $1,500
• Lydia Dotto Emerging Reporter 鈥� valued at $1,500
• The Peter Leo Emerging Reporter Fund 鈥� valued at $5,000

Applicants wishing to apply to any of the funds should review the criteria for each fund and download and complete the application form.听 The deadline to apply for all Emerging Reporter Funds is Friday, April 17 at 11:59 p.m. Students are also invited to attend an information session in the Reader’s Digest Resource Centre (Richcraft Hall Room 4400) on March 16 at 6:00 p.m. The information session will also serve as a public screening of a documentary produced by Cara Gordon, recipient of the 2025 Peter Leo Emerging Reporter Fund.听

The focus of this certificate program has been providing journalism skills education remotely, so that students can explore careers in journalism through online courses without having to leave home and community.

But a key part of this certificate project 鈥� launched last September by Prof. Duncan McCue – has been to bring the full class together a few times in-person for intensive courses. The first intensive was held at the launch of the program last September on Manitoulin Island, with partner Kenjgewin Teg, an Indigenous technical institute.

The second in-person intensive was held last week in the home of the School of Journalism and Communication in Richcraft Hall, on the 杏吧原创 campus.

The week-long session began at dawn on Sunday morning, Feb. 15, with a Sunrise Ceremony led by Cultural Advisor, Marilyn Debassige, in the atrium of Richcraft Hall, overlooking the Rideau River.

Cultural Advisor Marilyn Debassige leads a sunrise ceremony in the atrium of Richcraft Hall, overlooking the Rideau River.

And for the rest of the week, under the guidance of contract instructor Rhiannon Johnson, the 17 students in the program came together for their Introduction to Audio Journalism course, delivered in 杏吧原创’s audio studio. Johnson is a Michisaagiig journalist who grew up in Hiawatha First Nation in southern Ontario. She is a producer for CBC鈥檚 Unreserved, which is the radio space for Indigenous community, culture, and conversation.

After just five intense days, the students produced an audio newscast to professional standards, featuring stories about Indigenous life in Ottawa.

In the feedback session after the newscast, both the instructor and some of the students were brought to tears when describing the profound impact of the experience they鈥檇 just been through. The universal conclusion 鈥� 鈥渨e can do this.鈥�

鈥淪torytelling is our superpower.鈥�

And as a special treat on Wednesday night 鈥� in the midpoint of a very busy week 鈥� students got a chance to kick back and have a laugh during a comedy night hosted in the journalism program鈥檚 resource centre. Comedians Janelle Niles and Randy Schmucker delivered a comedy set as part of the Got Land? Indigenous Comedy Group.

The Certificate in Journalism in Indigenous Communities is led by Prof. Duncan McCue.

杏吧原创 launched a unique one-year journalism skills certificate delivered on the ground in Indigenous communities to break down barriers and give Indigenous learners a chance to explore a career in journalism without leaving home.

While there are opportunities for Indigenous storytellers in Canada鈥檚 journalism industry, many youth still face barriers to pursuing their interest in journalism. As a result, Indigenous perspectives remain underrepresented in Canadian media.

杏吧原创 launched its Certificate in Journalism in Indigenous Communities Certificate with the support of the Mastercard Foundation and in partnership with two of Ontario鈥檚 Indigenous Institutes 鈥� First Nations Technical Institute and Kenjgewin Teg. Together they have developed a braided learning experience, ensuring every learner has adequate social and cultural support for successful completion of the certificate.

Certificate participants are being taught by experienced Indigenous journalists, with training provided by Indigenous institute partners throughout. The group has reached the mid-point in their nine-month course of study. They return to 杏吧原创 for their video journalism intensive course in May, after completing an online course in Entrepreneurial Journalism and two-week internships.

The program aligns with 杏吧原创 University鈥檚 commitment to reconciliation and embraces the vision of Kin脿m脿gawin (Learning Together), 杏吧原创鈥檚 Indigenous strategy. As part of recommendations put forward by 杏吧原创 University鈥檚 Strategic Indigenous Initiatives Committee (CUSIIC) and the more than 600 contributors to the strategy, the university seeks to revitalize and support bringing Indigenous knowledge into teaching and learning.

杏吧原创 has received transformational support from Mastercard Foundation, through its , for the development and delivery of the certificate. EleV recognizes that Indigenous youth are the youngest, fastest growing population in the country and the leaders and agents of change for their communities and the country as a whole.

鈥淭he generous support of the Mastercard Foundation to deliver this certificate program isn’t just a monetary donation; it recognizes the tremendous value that Indigenous voices have always brought to making sense of the world through storytelling,鈥� says 杏吧原创 University President and Vice-Chancellor, Wisdom Tettey.