This is King's!

Journalism is exciting work. A sputtering profession. The only thing that can hold power to account. All of these things may be true, and all of them make training the next generation of journalists a challenging job. As the director of Journalism at King’s, Fred Vallance-Jones oversees three journalism degree programs. He talked to Pauline about the challenges and his hopes for the profession.

The MFA or Masters of Fine Arts in Non-Fiction and Fiction at the University of King’s College is a kind of “book doula” program. The unique low-residency program has “birthed” almost a hundred books in its first decade. Pauline talks to MFA director Gillian Turnbull about the program’s surprising growth.

Pirates and witches and vampires... oh my! On this episode of This is King's! we talk to Simon Kow, director of the Early Modern Studies Program, which covers the tumultuous period from the 16th to 18th centuries that was marked by a flourishing of philosophy, science, and art. And we discuss the program's relevance in view of government's desire for more job-ready learning, and in the new age of AI.For notes:You can find out more about the Early Modern Studies Program here: https://ukings.ca/area-of-study/early-modern-studies/Read director Simon Kow's blog here: https://ukings.ca/programs/emsp-plus/early-modern-times/Babel is the undergraduate journal of the program. It features contributions from students at the University of King’s College, and is compiled, edited and produced annually by EMSP students. Read more here: https://ukings.ca/programs/emsp-plus/babel/. 

It’s a university program with no textbooks. But boy do the students read! From Homer’s The Iliad to Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, King’s FYP program... or Foundation Year Program... introduces students to some of the great books of all times.  This season, we’re doing something a bit different. We’re focusing on King’s various programs of study. This small, east coast university is all about the humanities and journalism. Over the next six episodes we’ll meet the directors of each of the programs, for conversations about what’s being taught, and what it means in the larger world.  

This episode of This is King’s visits a centuries old tradition revisited at King’s every term: the formal meal. We’ll hear how this Colonial tradition has become something different in modern practise. Break out the bagpipes, the academic robes, and the chapel choir. We’ll talk to interim dean of students Jeff Wilson .

Ian Wagschal is at the centre of a career-defining project: developing a plan for the first new building on campus in more than two decades. Pauline talks to him about navigating the early stages of envisioning a new space that recognizes the architectural heritage of the campus while providing a functional, technologically modern space for a new School of Journalism, a new gym, and new student housing.  Read more: https://ukings.ca/news/kings-awards-new-building-design/

Jordan Roberts is the sexual health and safety officer at King’s. And if you think you know what that means... well, you might be surprised. No, she’s not patrolling the halls of the residences. Yes, she’s having open, sex-positive conversations and doing a lot of listening. And her focus is firmly on prevention and helping students navigate social situations in a new place.

The University of King’s College prides itself on being a place where humanities students read... a lot. For some of them, the library is mecca. In this episode we take a tour of the library, the treasures it houses, and we meet Tracy Lenfesty, the librarian and archivist in charge. And yes, it’s still a library that values quiet. So shhhhh, and have a listen! 

Meet Paul MacKay, the proud manager of the hardest to find book shop in Canada, the King’s Co-op Bookstore. It’s a story of how a destroyed dream of being a jazz guitarist led to his work curating a found-space gem that caters to both students and the community. And check out this great video that captures the magic of a daily pop-up bookstore (and shows you how to find it!).

The University of King's College is celebrating its 234th Encaenia (AKA graduation). It's a ceremony steeped in pomp, circumstance and tradition. But there are new traditions being forged too. Pam Hazel is in charge of university ceremonies. She tells us how she leads the planning for two days of feting and feasting to celebrate our graduates.

King's, founded in colonialism, is making efforts towards reconciliation through a Mi'kmaw student initiative and other programs. We check in with Indigenous journalism professor Trina Roache on how that's going.

In the inaugural episode meet some of the students along with the president and vice president of King's College as they tell us what makes the place special and... sometimes a bit odd.