Features

Pia Kontos speaks to the audience in the Creamer Lecture on the topic of dancer and dementia. (Credit: Peter Gross) On Monday, Oct. 19, the greater Fredericton community gathered in the Kinsella Auditorium at St. Thomas University (STU) for the annual Thomas LeRoy Creamer lecture in gerontology. This year's guest lecturer was Pia Kontos, a senior scientist at the Kite Research Institute - University Health Network and a Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at

The lost and found, always a story to tell. (Sabrina Zabatiero/AQ) Beside the glass door of the J.B. O’Keefe Centre lies a plain old box. Nothing out of the ordinary, just old and simple. I never noticed it until its particular smell reached me. That simple old box was the lost and found. One of them, since there are two across campus. This one is deemed for sneakers only. Filled to the brim with old rubber sneakers, old, hardly white laces, broken leather loafers. All giv

Two washers marked “out of order” in a campus residence laundry room. (Sabrina Zabatiero A/Q) In the residence halls of St. Thomas University (STU), a battle is unfolding. The weapons are not blasters or lightsabers, but laundry baskets, detergent and the increasingly precious opportunity to find a working washing machine. For some students, doing laundry has become a mission of patience: machines break down, dryers leave clothes damp and residents sometimes have to cross th

Warning: this story discusses sexual violence, victim-blaming, and the emotional toll of trauma. “Property of society do not remove.” (Photo credit: Osaki Creates) It makes me sad; it makes me mad. It shouldn’t be like this. “Why didn’t you reach out for help? Why didn’t you scream? Why did you put yourself in that position? Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” We shouldn’t be asking these questions. We just shouldn’t. Hearing all the horrendous news about what is going on in

Rachel Jewett, at the Presidential Scholarship Recipient Reception. (Credit: Peter Gross) On Sept. 22, warm sunlight beamed through the windows and comfortable red and blue leather seats in the Dawn Russell Student Lounge, greeting St. Thomas University's (STU) Presidential Scholarship recipients. More than 100 STU students were invited to the Presidential Scholarship Reception, said Dionne Izzard, director of Advancement at STU. Together, their scholarships and awards total

Extra costs are impacting students' academic life (Sabrina Zabatiero A/Q). For Betina Fernandes, starting another semester at St. Thomas University (STU) means budgeting far more than tuition and residence. Being an international student from Brazil, Fernandes has to budget far more than the average student. With tuition being doubled, alongside groceries, textbooks, winter clothes and everyday expenses, budgeting doesn't come easy. “I expected [costs] like food [and] extra

Penny Pacey, the organizer, with the volunteer Emma Dufresne (Sabrina Zabatiero A/Q) Adopt an Elder is a volunteer program designed to connect seniors with a younger generation, where volunteer work often grows into meaningful friendships. It all began with an idea to make seniors feel less lonely. After her retirement in 2020, Penny Pacey founded Adopt an Grandparent/Elder Fredericton, which pairs community volunteers with older adults to create intergenerational friendsh

Part of Canada’s charm comes from the colourful leaves bouncing with the autumn breeze. (Bailey Young AQ). By October, the city has traded patios for Uggs and trendy coats, iced drinks for coffee you can warm your hands around and green for every shade of rust, gold and red. The Saint John Wolastoq River moves quietly beside it all. Fall here is brief, which makes the whole season feel slightly more urgent. Start at the Boyce Farmers' Market on a Saturday morning. It smells

Miriam White said she wants to “raise a little kiddo who knows the truth and continues to fight for justice.” (Sabrina Zabatiero A/Q). A crowd in orange shirts filled the Richard J. Currie Center at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) on Sept. 30 as drums, with two Indigenous girls dancing nearby, opened the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The ceremony, organized by the Office of the Piluwithasuwin, took place at both UNB’s Fredericton and Saint John campuses, wi

In Intro to Communication, taught by Dr. Jamie Gillies, two midterm assignments are worth 25 per cent and 30 per cent. (Sabrina Zabatiero AQ) As the days get shorter and colder, midterm season arrives at St. Thomas University (STU) and many students say the stress comes with it. It is part of academic life and it has been for years. Faith Vandermeer, a third-year student majoring in criminology and criminal justice, has four midterms this semester alone. She says she’s “push

Handwriting, yay or nay? (Malachi Lefurgey/AQ) At St. Thomas University (STU), one professor’s answer to artificial intelligence is to bring thinking back into the classroom: in-class discussions, reflection and quizzes. As we start a new academic year, AI remains a concern for professors, faculty and students. Erin Brandt is a part-time professor at STU, where she teaches two communications courses: Communications in Public Policy and Public Engagement in the Digital Era. As

The St. Thomas University International Students' Association (STUISA) hosted their annual Multicultural Fair on Saturday, March 21, at the Kinsella Auditorium in Margaret Norrie McCain Hall. (Credit: Ana Laura Román) The St. Thomas University International Students Association (STUISA) held its annual multicultural fair on March 21. The event celebrated the diversity of culture in the student body through its talent and fashion show, food fest and a newly-added prom night. J

Donna Davis volunteering at the Greener Village Food Bank in Fredericton. (Suzanne Shah/THE AQ) On March 18, Donna Davis stood inside Greener Village on Riverside Drive to help pack food boxes for the Fredericton community. Greener Village serves more than 2,200 client families each month, providing roughly 120,000 meals, while also offering programs such as grocery boxes, a learning kitchen and community partnerships. For Davis, the space is no longer just support; it is pu

Aleena Naveed is a second-year Muslim student at St. Thomas University from Pakistan. (Suzanne Shah/AQ) At STU, the month of Ramadan was made into a powerful social activity, uniting the campus community across cultures and creeds. STU’s second annual Iftar Party, organized by a small group of Muslim students, provided a platform for participants to come together, learn, and connect. According to Aleena Naveed, one of the organizers of the event, the idea has always been to m

From 5 to 11 p.m., students participated in a variety of activities, with good food to catch up on their studies (Credit: Sabrina Zabatiero). On Thursday, March 19, STU students had the opportunity to catch up with their assignments and get rid of procrastination for a night. Long Night Against Procrastination combined academic support with interactive and relaxing activities, which promoted a safe environment for productivity and well-being. What could have been just another

Bernarda Delgado, third year human rights and international relations student at St. Thomas University from Ecuador. (Brianna Lyttle/AQ) A pilot food security initiative has begun at St. Thomas University, in collaboration between the Campus Ministry, the STU Food Bank, and Sustainability Services. The program involves a designated student food security coordinator who manages volunteers to recover leftover food from Aramark events to be safely stored and frozen. This food

With good organization and attention to detail, Japanese students delivered a cultural event at James Dunn Hall. (Credit: Sabrina Zabatiero). On March 13, students Aiko Kiribuchi, Mebae Yamamoto, Haruto Sawada and Yuki Umakakeba, along with other Japanese exchange students, hosted Roll & Sip, an event that invited people to make their own temaki, prepare matcha and learn the Japanese art of origami. The event attracted both students and community members curious about Japane

The Student Research and Ideas Fair provides a space for students to share independent research and engage with the academic community. (Credit: STU Communications) Students and faculty gathered in Brian Mulroney Hall at St. Thomas University on March 13 for the 22nd annual Student Research and Ideas Fair to present students’ findings and research over the academic year. Some students made formal presentations in classrooms, while others opted for making poster presentation

Attendees gathered at tables inside the Hanwell Community Centre ahead of sunset during Islamic Relief Canada’s Grand Community Iftar. (Credit: Zahra Rahmani) On March 7, the Islamic Relief Canada’s New Brunswick team hosted the largest community Iftar the Fredericton area has seen at the Hanwell Community Centre. Iftar is the meal Muslims eat at sunset to break their daily fast during Ramadan, often shared with family, friends and the wider community. “When the time came to

The New Brunswick Legislative Assembly building in Fredericton. MLAs questioned education officials during a public accounts committee hearing on Feb. 11. (Credit: Sundus Hyder) Opposition MLAs are questioning the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s claims of progress in student literacy, arguing that chronic absenteeism and unclear data continue to raise concerns about how students are actually performing in schools. At a public accounts c