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 Panel is tasked by Public Services and Procurement Canada to answer the question:

What is the current state of citizen science in Canada and how does it compare internationally?

As a member of the expert panel, Dr. Lauriault will be making an invaluable contribution to evidence-based policy in Canada. It is through the hard work of expert panel members who donate their time and expertise that the CCA is able to produce high-quality assessments that the federal government and others have come to rely on to inform decision making.

More information about the appointment and news of upcoming reports can be found here:

Bluesky:
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]]> /sjc/2026/students-in-carletons-new-indigenous-journalism-certificate-demonstrate-their-storytelling-superpowers/ Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:57:46 +0000 /sjc/?p=23772 A truly remarkable moment in the history of 杏吧原创’s journalism program unfolded last week during an in-person intensive course on audio journalism for students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 new Certificate in Journalism in Indigenous Communities.

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.

Journalism students at 杏吧原创 University can once again take advantage of an opportunity to work with CBC North through a paid internship program that is exclusive to 杏吧原创.

Applications are due on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

This four-month, paid internship can be taken up this spring or summer with CBC North. This year鈥檚 placement will be in Whitehorse. And the intern chosen for the position will also receive support for travel and living costs from a donor fund, named in honour of long-time 杏吧原创 professor Mary McGuire, to support student travel assist with accommodation during the student鈥檚 internship.

As part of the application, in addition to providing information about themselves and a statement of intent explaining why they would be a good candidate, applicants will also be asked to submit a detailed story pitch that they think would be of interest to CBC North. The pitch must be accompanied with contact information for at least two human sources contacted as part of drafting the story pitch.

Offered annually, this paid summer internship provides reporting and writing experience to a student who has expressed a desire to learn more about Canada鈥檚 North and its Indigenous peoples. This unique internship will help young journalists better understand the history, diversity and realities of the North and Indigenous peoples through the provision of a work experience that can inform their journalism for the rest of their careers.

The student will intern as an editorial assistant for a four-month term with the option of extending the internship being at the discretion of CBC North.

All students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program are eligible to apply, but preference will be given to students who are in their graduating year or in the senior years of the program. The internships are open to both Bachelor of Journalism and MJ students.

The objective of the collaboration is for CBC North Region and the School of Journalism and Communication at 杏吧原创 University to provide students enrolled in the journalism program with an opportunity to acquire knowledge and experience relating to the duties and activities of an editorial assistant in a northern newsroom.

杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program supports a number of different internships for journalism students across the country and in the Global South, but few exist in newsrooms in northern or Indigenous communities, in part because travel and accommodation costs are a barrier to most students.

Mary McGuire

The project is the brainchild of long-time journalism professor Mary McGuire, who approached the CBC with a proposal to create the internships and a commitment to establish a special fund at 杏吧原创 to help cover the high cost of travel and accommodation for students selected for these internships at CBC North.

杏吧原创 continues to accept contributions to the听听on an ongoing basis.

After graduating from 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism program in 1979, McGuire worked for seven years in Whitehorse, primarily for CBC Radio. She also covered northern and indigenous issues on Parliament Hill and across the North for the CBC鈥檚 Northern Service before joining 杏吧原创鈥檚 journalism faculty in 1990.

McGuire was a fixture in the 杏吧原创 journalism faculty for close to three decades before cancer took her out of the classroom. She鈥檚 taught more than a thousand students over the years and helped change the school鈥檚 curriculum, first to expand courses in radio journalism and then, as the internet evolved, to develop and launch courses in digital journalism, too.

One part of McGuire鈥檚 legacy at 杏吧原创 will be this program to introduce another generation of students to Canada鈥檚 North.

For additional information, please contact Prof. Allan Thompson at听allan.thompson@carleton.ca

To apply fill the application below:

Applications are due on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 11:59pm.听

Please share the application link below with your references:

Applicant Appraisal Form

CBC North 2026 Internship Program for 杏吧原创 University

• Name*
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• Year of standing at 杏吧原创*
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• Statement of Intent (250-300 words)*
• Story pitch (up to 500 words)*
  Your application must include a detailed story pitch that demonstrates to the editors at CBC North that you have done some research and come up with a compelling story pitch that they could consider. The pitch must be accompanied with contact information for at least two human sources you have contacted directly as part of drafting the story pitch.

• Referee 1

• Referee 1 Name*
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• Referee 2

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杏吧原创 Global Journalism Internships

杏吧原创鈥檚 School of Journalism and Communication is once again seeking applications for its Global Journalism Internship Program. This program has been in operation since 2006 and has sent more than 200 杏吧原创 journalism students to the Global South to take up media internships and project 杏吧原创鈥檚 values on the international stage. These internships have provided life-altering opportunities for many of our students as a capstone to their time at 杏吧原创 and have also built valuable connections for 杏吧原创 internationally.

This year鈥檚 program will include up to nine funded internships of 12 weeks duration with Farm Radio International in Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda. Successful applicants for the Farm Radio positions will receive $4,000 each in funding from 杏吧原创. Selected students will contribute the $4,000 toward the cost of the internship and Farm Radio will arrange and cover any additional cost of flights, accommodation, visas, local travel, insurance, and 3-day pre-departure training in Ottawa. Farm Radio will also reimburse for such medical expenses as vaccinations. Interns will also receive a $500 per month cost-of-living stipend in the field.

Interns will join the Farm Radio project as producers for the Nature Answers podcast from Farm Radio International that shares stories from rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Interns will collect and produce the stories that will be featured in that podcast as well as accompanying companion multimedia pieces.

For additional information, please contact Prof. Allan Thompson.

Info Session – Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

View the Slide Deck

听 听

Application Process

The application 2026 Global Journalism internships briefing period begins on Tuesday, Feb. 10 and will close on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 5 p.m.

To apply, fill out the form below. You will need the following materials:听

• Submit the Global Journalism Internships Application Form below
• Statement of intent: 250 words, who are you, why you want to do this, your qualifications.
• Current CV in PDF format: should be a clean format and a link to an online portfolio is useful.
• For Faculty: Download the 2026 Global Journalism Internship Referee Appraisal Form