“Don’t let them forget”: Qajaq Robinson closes Donald Lecture series with reflection
Surviving a semester (or two) apart: Why a Relationship doesn’t have to be a reason to skip exchange
Gaiters Athletics Stunning 24-25: A Year in Review The First Supper that brings community members together
Building minds and community: The evolution of Bishop’s University Bishop’s Gaiters and the Flutie effect: How athletic glory could boost enrollment and reputation
By Megane Masson - contributor
On Friday, Mar. 21, 2025, an astonishing number of attendees assembled to mark a milestone for the Indigenous community at Bishop’s University. After years of hard work, the long-awaited day arrived for the inauguration of the new Indigenous centre, Kwigw8mna, formerly Divinity House. The opening ceremony convened the old and the new. Key members from the Indigenous community delivered emotional speeches, starting with Shawna Chatterton-Jerome, who has been present since the very beginning, on Oct. 4, 2019. Chief Richard O’Bomsawin from Odanak, reunited with his good friend and Bishop’s former principal, Michael Goldbloom, shared emotional words with the crowd, followed by Vicky Boldo, who told a touching personal story about truth and reconciliation.
Despite being held under the rain,
the local Indigenous group The Flying Sturgeons’ traditional song and drums helped warm the cold air. With this, the opening ceremony officially marked the beginning of Kwigw8mna, where Indigenous community and healing can flourish. As Chief O’Bomsawin asserts, “We can finally all come together as one.”
What is now Kwigw8mna was formerly known as Divinity House. The establishment served many purposes over the years: classrooms, student residences, faculty offices. Historically, the building served as a space to teach and accommodate theology students, who went on to work as Catholic priests; some of those priests would eventually work in residential schools. Chief O’Bomsawin touched upon the building’s sensitive background during his inauguration speech. This building is the ideal place for growth and reconciliation. What was once a
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By Abigail Epstein - Arts & Culture Editor
The Tribune, based out of McGill University, hosted their annual journalism conference Mar. 22 in Montréal. It was a crowd of student journalists, activists and professionals. It was an event struck with urgency.
The crux of the conference concerned the topic of the media’s responsibility towards Palestine. In a panel consisting of representatives from Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR), Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) and Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), the issues with mainstream Canadian news coverage of Palestine were discussed. The panellists refrained from using their full names as a means of precaution.
In a critical analysis of the media, sty-
listics in news coverage were examined: frequent passive voice avoids assigning responsibility, while misleading language distorts a reader’s perception of the news. Israeli and Zionist perspectives are often privileged and do not have to go through the ringers of verification, under which Palestinian voices are subject. Coverage of student movements in solidarity tends to trivialize, rather than shed light: “The spectacle of student activism was emphasized over the actual issue of Palestinian subjugation,” the IJV representative noted. Problematically, the encampments were treated as a “beginning, middle, and end” to the story of Palestine. There is also an apparent threat to label any denunciation of Israel as antisemitic, and authoritative backlash makes speaking to truth difficult, for both activists and journalists. Yet, the responsibility of the media remains oriented to the truth: informing, empowering
sign of oppression is now a sign of agency, reconciliation, and liberation for Indigenous peoples. Vicky Boldo shared that it means a lot for the community to have a sacred space, and that she can speak on behalf of it, “because I too, know what reconciliation is; I have had to live it myself.”
In this house, Indigenous students and community members will have a home away from home. Bishop’s University is well-known for its longstanding pledge of community spirit, but there was a missing vital element for Indigenous peoples and students. As Chatterson-Jerome shared, “now we can all have the sense of one big community,” making Bishop’s promise complete. Kwigw8mna is here to stay and for future generations to flourish in a sacred and protected space. That is to say, while progress is being made, there are many more endeavours to be undertaken, and the journey to truth and reconcil-action has made significant progress at Bishop’s.
By Josef Spence - Contributor
New Prime Minister Mark Carney, visited the Governor General Mary Simon, on Mar. 31 and asked her to dissolve parliament and call an election. The general election was announced later that afternoon. Election day has been scheduled for Monday, Apr. 28. This puts the campaigning period at just 37 days, the shortest it can be under federal regulation.
In order to vote, Canadian citizens must register with Elections Canada. Most eligible voters will already be registered, since Elections Canada usually contacts citizens when they turn 18. It is easy to check if you are registered; simply go to the Elections Canada website (elections.ca) and follow the instructions there. There are several different methods that can be used to vote. The most obvious is that of voting at the assigned polling station on election day. Polling station assignments will be mailed to all registered voters (at the address to which they are registered) by Apr. 14, but can also be checked on the Elections Canada website.
Voters can also cast their ballots on advance voting days, Apr. 18-21, at their assigned polling stations, which can be found the same way as election-day polling stations. Early votes can be cast at any Elections Canada office across the country. The last main method for voting is by mail. Voters interested in this means of voting must register to do so before Apr. 22. They will be sent a ballot which they must return either to their local Elections Canada office or through mail. When voting in person or when applying to vote by mail, voters will be required to present some form of identification with their photo, address and name, such as their driver’s license, to confirm their identity and that they are registered.
In this election there are four main parties competing for seats in parliament and three
leaders of those parties competing to be Prime Minister. The Liberal Party of Canada is led by Mark Carney, the current Prime Minister and recent successor to Justin Trudeau. The Liberals have positioned themselves as a party with experience in dealing with Trump and U.S. tariffs in recent years, and are stressing Carney’s long and considerable experience as an economist and banker as qualification for leading Canada through economic turbulence.
The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), led by Pierre Poilievre, has adopted a policy platform of economic integration across Canada, especially by removing interprovincial trade barriers, and major tax cuts for middle- and low-income households. The CPC stresses the need to expand Canada’s markets and the ability to transport goods across Canada to those markets outside of the U.S.
Jagmeet Singh leads the New Democratic Party (NDP). The NDP stresses the need to expand social services as Canada enters a trade war to ensure everyone is supported. Both the Liberals and NDP have suggested raising taxes in order to fund various projects.
Yves-François Blanchet leads the Bloc Québécois, focusing on defending the sovereignty and interests of Quebec in negotiations with the U.S.
The Green Party of Canada, the People’s Party of Canada, and some independent candidates are also running candidates in some electoral districts. Voters can easily check all of the candidates running in their specific electoral district on the Elections Canada website. Information on what individual candidates believe in or plan on doing can often be found in local media releases, such as local papers or local radio stations, or on party websites.
There have already arisen some controversies in the campaign. A Liberal candidate in Markham, ON, has stepped down
from the race after advising people to turn his Conservative opponent into the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty that the Chinese government has placed on that candidate’s
department, Dr. Jean-François Daoust of the School of Applied Politics at the Université de Sherbrooke, and the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Member of Parliament for Compton–
head for promoting democracy and free expression. Notably, Carney and the Liberal Party have yet to address this incident. On the other side of the aisle, a CSIS (Canada’s intelligence agency) agent recently leaked to the Globe and Mail that there was likely interference by the Indian government in the Conservative leadership elections in 2022 that made Poilievre leader. Nothing in the report suggests that Poilievre or anyone on his team were aware of this interference, and the report suggests that the interference had no effect on the outcome of the leadership race.
In order to better inform students about the election, the Politics and International Studies Association held a Canadian Federal Election Panel on Mar. 31 in McGreer 100. This panel consisted of Dr. Jacob Robbins-Kanter of Bishop’s Politics and International Studies
Stanstead.
There was a broad appreciation for the panel, and students seemed to find it quite informative. One student, Eva Rachert, commented that she “especially appreciated the breadth of perspectives provided by the speakers” as they analyzed the platforms of the parties and predicted their effects on both a short- and long-term scale. Dr. Robbins-Kanter similarly noted that “it’s nice to bring in experts from outside of Bishop’s”, but recognized that it would be better if Canadians focused a little more on “what’s going on here in our own backyard” than on the affairs of other countries, especially the U.S. So, as the election comes closer, there is much for Bishop’s students to watch in the arena of Canadian politics.
By Elsa Cunnington - Contributor
On Tuesday, Mar. 25, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Danny Beaton joined Bishop’s students and faculty in Cleghorn to pass on his message of hope while fighting for Mother Earth. Danny Beaton is a Turtle Clan Mohawk of Grand River Six Nations (Haudenosaunee) Territory and has been working in environmental stewardship to protect our lands from environmental destruction for over twenty years. He received the Governor General’s Medal for outstanding contributions to Canadians in 1992, and he has continued to work with environmentalists and Indigenous communities since.
The key message he left with us was that positive energy nurtures positivity: our gifts and skills come from Mother
Earth, and therefore we need to gain that knowledge and cherish it. We must know our medicines and how to heal ourselves. This can be learned from Indigenous elders, but the knowledge can only be found if we dig for it. “The greatest job,” he told us, “is being an environmentalist.” It is essential to learn as much as you can and teach this gained knowledge. This path has to be chosen, he explained, as it is a spiritual and peaceful fight.
Danny Beaton first met Dr. David Webster (who helped organize the event) around twenty years ago, explaining to us that “you can’t ignore any signs” the universe gives you. The positivity you put into the world attracts other positive people to you, but you can only hear these signs if you are awake. Being awake means learning what is natural and seeking the truth. There are many amazing environmentalist projects that we can be involved in and many positive people to help bring this about. Learning the difference between what is medicine and what is poison is
also an important part of being ‘awake’ and keeping that poison out of your body.
This medicine, he told us, is seen in natural foods, like the Chaga mushroom. This mushroom grows off the birch tree and can be helpful in building your immune system. Other medicines can be berries, corn, beans and squash, moose, fish and deer too. These sacred animals are needed to give people life.
Every day, we have a chance to build a positive community of people around us, not just when we are young.
Danny Beaton explained that he is still building community, collecting truth, building love and wisdom and honouring the environment. When asked if he gets overwhelmed doing this work, he smiled and acknowledged that he does, but you have built a network of communicators to help you fight. Creativity and people are medicine, too.
Life is a mystery, he told us, all we can do is our best and love what we do. We have much work ahead, but it is up to us – the communities we build, the good memories we make and the medicines we take – to create a better future.
“We can build it,” he said, but “you’re going to need your mushrooms.”
“Don’t let them forget”: Qajaq Robinson closes Donald Lecture series with reflection on MMIWG
By Jillian French - News Editor
On Friday, March 21, Qajaq Robinson took to Centennial stage to share her journey as a former commissioner for the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The final Donald Lecture of the year followed the opening ceremony of Kwigw8mna, the newly renovated campus building which fosters a space for Indigenous students to gather, learn and find support. Robinson’s lecture offered solemn insight into the systemic injustices faced by Indigenous people (particularly women and girls) and a thoughtful reflection on how to move forward using Indigenous tradition, knowledge and strength.
Robinson is a Bishop’s alumna (‘95) and lawyer from Baffin Island, Nunavut. She is non-Indigenous, but grew up in an Inuit community and speaks Inuktitut fluently. She told the audience that she was initially named Evelyn until an Inuit elder told her parents her name should instead be Qajac, after an Inuit community member who worked with the RCMP. This name, she explained, catalyzed the way she was “welcomed in the community” and also “played a big role in what I have done with my life.” From 2015 to 2019, Robinson served as one of four commissioners for the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
TIndigenous women continue to experience disproportionate rates of targeted violence in Canada, including sexual abuse, sex trafficking, homicide and disappearances cases. Indigenous women were up to six times more likely to be murdered than nonIndigenous women from 2001 to 2015. The inquiry, Robinson added, “was a result of years and years of grassroots movements from Indigenous women, who for years watched their sisters murdered and disappeared in plain sight.”
After decades of being ignored and dismissed, the movements gained traction leading up to the 2015 Canadian federal election, when candidate Justin Trudeau made an election promise to form an official inquiry. He upheld his promise once he took office, and the commission was formed. The task, according to Robinson, was to “investigate systemic causes of all types of violence, and the particular vulnerability of Indigenous women and girls in Canada, as well as what actions could be taken to remove these systemic injustices”. It was, as Robinson described, “a tremendously monumental task”.
One key consideration, Robinson illuminated, was making sure the process was trauma-informed, sensitive to affected families, and “centred on Indigenous ways of knowing and doing across Canada”. To achieve these goals, Indigenous elders were assigned to each commissioner to advise and support the process. The commission held
“truth gatherings” — not “inquisitions” or “hearings” — in Indigenous communities, where they worked collaboratively to create safe spaces to talk with the community about MMIWG. The process of the investigation, Robinson explained, was just as important as the report. “It had to touch people’s hearts, people’s souls. And it had to mobilize, so that in these communities, it lived on and got a true foothold.”
Robinson also emphasized the inquiry’s rights-based approach to the crisis. “Violence and lack of security is fundamentally a human rights issue”, she said. The commission was tasked to consider “whether Canada was upholding those rights.” In the course of the inquiry, she added, they found that the repeated and systemic violations of Indigenous women’s rights was “a product of the country we built… this was not an accident, this was by design.”
“It became very clear to us that this amounted to genocide,” Robinson told the audience. The process of reconciliation, then, must “amount efforts that match or surpass the efforts to eradicate Indigenous peoples,” she added. Our ideas of reconciliation as settlers, though “are often predicated on the idea that we know what’s best. That will never work.”
The commission, which produced it’s final report in 2019, outlines several principles for change: promoting Indigenous knowledge, self governance and solutions were key principles for centering Indigenous agency in the reconciliation process. “Apologies don’t
cut it”, Robinson said. Our goal is to obtain substantive and tangible equality through an Indigenous lens.
While the opening of Kwigw8mna represents a celebration of Indigenous knowledge and culture here at Bishop’s, Robinson encourages students to never forget the long journey and hard battles Indigenous peoples have fought to get to this moment, and to consider the work that still remains. “No one is left without a job to do”, she says. With the upcoming Canadian federal election, she encourages students not to let scare tactics and threats from America distract us from political commitments to Indigenous communities. Robinson concluded, “Don’t let them forget”.
he Campus acknowledges that the land on which we operate is stolen land, the traditional territory of the Abenaki people. We live, learn, work, and play on this land, home to Indigenous peoples still living. Canada was founded through colonization, a system rooted in oppression and the abuse of power over others, continuing to affect First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities today. As a student newspaper, The Campus has a responsibility to highlight truth. We are committed to prioritizing underrepresented voices in our community and proactively highlighting Indigenous peoples’ histories and ongoing realities, including their resilience and achievements. We recognize our work plays a role in shaping public perceptions, being able to call-out injustice but also call-in action. We emphasize that we must go beyond a land acknowledgement, which is only one step towards reconciliation. It is the stories in our paper – told with respect, accuracy, and integrity – and the respect and humility we show to the land and others that is more important than what is written in a land acknowledgement. Actionable steps to go beyond a land acknowledgement include educating ourselves and others, and supporting Indigenous traditions, movements, and businesses. —The Campus
Team
By Samiya Bouziane MerceronContributor
When searching “Are universities using AI to grade assignments?” in the Google search bar, the first answer is delivered courtesy of Google’s AI overview. The answer? “Yes, some professors are exploring and using AI tools to assist with grading assignments…” Scroll for a few more seconds, though, and articles highlighting the conflicting takeover are hiding just underneath. Many have already rapidly adapted their mindsets about the use of AI in the academic setting just a few fleeting years later. What does this rising use of artificial intelligence mean for the relationship between professors and their students?
I remember the first time I was warned about the consequences of using AI. About halfway through senior year, our teacher firmly explained that any use of ChatGPT in our essays or assignments would not be tolerated. Any submissions that were caught as being AI-generated would not count. There was a certain air of disappointment clouding his lecture on AI usage –students turning to an artificial tool to complete their entire assignments almost seemed taboo. It was framed as a more heinous type of plagiarism because teachers could “easily tell” when we were
not writing in our usual voices.
However, this argument became strained after nearly two years of development. The use of AI became more normalised, evolving immensely by the time I graduated and began my first year here at Bishop’s University. Friends and family suggested I start thinking about using artificial tools to improve my writing and “get ahead” of the new standard being built. I was shocked by this, already so tired of seeing AI advancing its occupations in artistic spaces. Attention was being paid to AI short films, stories, paintings, and music. It became increasingly difficult to spot whether or not the influence of a human had been abandoned in the creation of these projects, and it didn’t take long for this to get super frustrating. Somehow, humans became the bothersome middleman between creativity and creation.
There were still warnings sprinkled through syllabi and made by professors, but intolerance progressively softened with each passing semester. The rising prevalence of the ‘artificially intelligent tool’ seemed to be successfully wearing down its initial impression as a ‘cheating’ tool in most of the academic world. Its evolution birthed new and improved mechanisms, specific commands, and quicker answers. These adaptations not only became increasingly rebranded as convenient for students and their course loads, but also for professors and the work they would eventually have to grade. There are obvious positive aspects to the moderate use of AI, such as muchneeded relief for professors with large class sizes. However, I don’t find it ridiculous to address the path we are following. We may be on the verge of losing the ability to recognize the distinct voices that separate us from the production of artificial intelligence. There is now a real chance of AI content being fed into AI graders between students and professors. At what point during this process will both the learner and the teacher resign from their critical roles?
By Bella Lorefice - Contributor
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and spent 20+ minutes trying to decide on what to order?
Have you ever deconstructed your room trying to put an outfit together?
Have you ever taken an hour scrolling through Netflix trying to decide on what to watch just to end up rewatching The Office? Are you also chronically indecisive? If so, congratulations, you chose the right article.
Now, if you are reading this because you are looking for some advice on becoming more decisive, you are in the wrong place. I am here to simply validate your (and my) indecisiveness. Being indecisive is tough; it can be seen as a character flaw, and often portrays us indecisive folk with a negative connotation. Its as if we don’t know what we want, or don’t have our shit together when in reality, this is often not the case. Even if you are someone who is typically quite confident in your decisions, I’m almost certain you can relate to those scary, important choices that can make you feel confined or closed off to other possibilities, like opening one door is closing all the others, which is a scary look into the mind of an indecisive person. Why does making a decision on my Subway sandwich toppings feel like I’m signing a contract with the universe? Sometimes we are indecisive because we want to choose something
great and that really puts the pressure on. Sometimes, decisions are hard because there are so many factors to weigh; they just overwhelm you in a cesspool of possible scenarios, and many times, decisions are hard because we want to take other people’s feelings into consideration.
If I could give you one piece of advice: never go to the grocery store with your indecisive friend unless you are very, very patient; the grocery store is a place of certain panic over minor decisions. The same issue with the mall: do I spend an hour in Sephora to walk out with nothing because I love looking, or because I couldn’t choose what shade of lip liner I wanted.
I once spent three hours in a Sportchek with my dad trying to pick out a hockey stick, I ended up getting the first one I touched.
Sometimes, the right choice feels so serious – like do or die – what if I choose wrong? It can be scary, but sometimes we fail to realize it’s not that deep. We should take a long deep breath and remember life isn’t a multiplechoice question (except for when it is multiple choice, then I’m f*cked). So whether you’re a perfectionist, an overthinker, anxious or plainly human, know that there is good sentiment behind your personal qualities you don’t love. Maybe small decisions make you spiral, but maybe that’s okay. After all, you want the best and you should.
By Lilia Syemushyn - Contributor
My boyfriend and I met on the day I had to submit my biometrics for my study permit in Berlin. Therefore, it was quite clear from the very beginning that I would be gone for eight months. Some months later, my visa got approved, and that’s how the relationship became an overseas relationship.
The first few months at Bishop’s was everything, all new and exciting. A different culture, a different language, a different university system…. There wasn’t much time to miss seeing each other. Then, as I slowly established a routine and everything got more ordinary, I realised that it was still five long months before we would see each other. However, over the following months, I started recognizing the unexpected benefits of a long-distance relationship. What initially seemed like an inconvenience turned out to have its own value.
After months of only seeing your partner as a pixelated face on a small screen, finally hugging them in person feels incredible. The anticipation, the
airport reunion (or slightly less cinematic bus station meet-up in Sherbrooke); it all makes the wait worthwhile.
Being able to maintain a relationship over such a distance, just talking over the phone, proves that your relationship isn’t just based on convenience, physical closeness, or an unlimited supply of oxytocin. Oxytocin, for those who don’t know, is a hormone released when cuddling, having sex or even just holding hands. Basically, the “feel-good” relationship chemical.
Apart from that, by being physically apart, you get a rare chance to step back and reflect on what you truly need in
Halle Brindley,, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com
By Halle Brindley - Opinions Section Editor
Acouple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of going to the event, Journalism in Crisis, a journalistic discussion panel hosted by The Tribune (McGill’s version of The Campus) at McGill. Speakers included Ashira Darwish, Jaela Bernstein, Cloe Logan, Jasjot Grewel, and a handful of others. Darwish concluded the event with her evening speech, and this is where I will begin this piece.
Ashira Darwish, Palestinian journalist, filmmaker, and trauma healer, noted how she wanted to have a career in music, but in growing older and being exposed to a harsh reality, she questioned the purpose of singing in a world like this. The concept of ‘fake news’ isn’t an unfamiliar one, in fact it has been a point of scrutiny. Fake news is dangerous, but biased media is as well. Biased media can range from being very clearly representative of a personal opinion on one side to the simple configuration of an article. Notably, Jakob Nielson described in his NNGroup article in 2008 that “On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.” Usually, only the title and first paragraph get read, and journalists know this attention span problem and that’s why there’s an emphasis on having a strong first paragraph and an accompanying article summary under
a relationship. Without the constant presence of your partner, you start to notice things, e.g., what you miss, what you value, and what actually matters.
Distance gives you time to navigate life separately and nurture your independence while still being in love –maintaining that strong bond. This builds trust and emotional security: You figure out whether this relationship adds to your life or just fills a space. And when you do see each other again, you come back with a clearer sense of why you’re choosing this person as your partner. There’s something special about knowing that despite the distance, you still choose each other every day.
To quote Jillian Turecki, a renowned relationship coach, “Loving someone isn’t always convenient. Instead, it requires patience, communication, and emotional resilience.” The communication part is something you really practice when navigating a long-distance relationship. Not only to reduce misunderstandings but also to retain the connection between each other.
A lot of people hesitate to study abroad because of their relationship,
the title. Jaela Bernstein, journalist for CBC News, and Cloe Logan, a climate journalist for Canada’s National Observer, emphasized this problem at the McGill event.
I ask you to consider how much of an article you read. Now, considering this, think about the information at the bottom of the page. When journalists are writing articles claiming to cover both sides, information on the
worried that the time apart will take something away. But what if it actually adds something?
By going on exchange, you gain confidence in yourself, new experiences to bring back, and proof that your relationship can handle more than just an everyday routine. You come back not just as a more reflected partner but as a person who has lived more, seen more, and grown more.
I am well aware that relationships are a very individual topic, and of course, I can only speak from my perspective. However, I want to acknowledge that long-distance relationships aren’t just international, but also happen within Canada due to its vast geography. But distance doesn’t have to be a deal breaker.
Let’s be real: if your relationship can handle months apart, maybe even different time zones, facetime calls in wizabu wifi, it can handle anything. And that’s a nice thing to know :)
So, if you’re worried that a semester abroad or a summer apart will end your relationship, don’t be. If it’s strong, it will last. And if it doesn’t? Maybe that’s an answer in itself.
story?
Total conflict.
We, being the world, have seen the divide that can tear us apart. It’s nasty. It’s not a good reflection of humanity. This doesn’t have to be the way of the world.
By interviewing perspectives from both sides, trying to report as unbiased as possible, and assembling articles fairly, readers can better understand the world they live in.
In the case of the current climate in Israel and Palestine, keynote speaker Ashira Darwash suggested that if you are going to listen to one side, listen to the other. Your opinion might remain the same, but you will be a more informed, more well-rounded citizen. It’s uncomfortable to “read the other side.” I am guilty of this feeling as well, but understanding blossoms when you know about both sides. Think of how you were taught history in school. Was it from multiple perspectives or just one? Does that alter how you see the world?
side they, or the article’s audience, perhaps prefer less can be pushed to the bottom. The threat of this is that stories are only getting partially told. It’s like hearing only ONE side of the story. Think about how disappointed you were in someone from hearing one side of the story. Hearing both sides facilitates clarity and understanding. So, what happens when we assemble an article to prioritize one side of the
I urge you, the reader, to challenge yourself in reading reports on both sides of things, always, whatever that may be.
If even just the first paragraph. Now, how does this relate to us, as students? Change has been brought on by university students. We are changemakers. We just need to act. Or write. Or read.
“More than anything, journalism is an act of revolution” - The Tribune’s Editor in Chief, Jasjot Grewal
Owen Kitzan, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com
By Kate VandermeulenDirector of Marketing and Communications
On Friday, Apr. 4, the Lennoxville community gathered to watch BU Dance’s final showcase of the year, A Movement in Time. From jazz to ballet, to hip hop and everything in between, the group of dancers pulled out all the stops to wow the audience with an inspiring show.
The showcase featured performances from the competitive, pom and club teams. The dancers have been hard at work practicing their routines since September, some spending up to eight hours weekly in the dance studio rehearsing. The night started off strong with an opening number to We Found Love by Rihanna, featuring every dancer that would grace the stage throughout the show, and collaboratively choreographed by executive team members Abby Epstein, Korine Gravel, Gabby Lalonde, Kate Vandermeulen, Sonoma Brawley, Shannon Gaskarth and Makena Burns.
The competitive team performed the eight numbers they had recently competed with back in March, the club team showcased
their contemporary, jazz and hip hop routines, and the pom squad brought the energy with a mashup of the routines you might have caught at halftime this year. Alongside the group numbers, there were also solos and duets in every style and emcee breaks brought to you by Halle Brindley and Claudia Leonforte.
Amongst the audience members were students, staff, parents and even past members of BU Dance. One of these members was 202324 Senior Coordinator Rianna Ostrosser who commented that she “was moved to tears watching this year’s dances. The coordinators and dancers did such an amazing job and should be immensely proud of themselves”. Interpretive dance connoisseur and full-time dance boyfriend, Reece Bastien, was also in awe of the show, remarking that the dancers were “breathtaking.” Sophie Gauthier shared her experience as an audience member at A Movement in Time, saying that “The numbers and choreographies allowed them to express themselves emotionally on stage. More specifically, Kate Vandermeulen’s number, Time to Gogh, highlighted the end of her time with BU Dance, which caused her to be emotional at the end of the number and left me emotional in turn”. The audience testimonies from the show beautifully exemplify just how
powerful dance can be for everyone involved – dancers and viewers alike.
Makena Burns, who has been a dancer on the competitive team for the past two years and now cocoordinates the pom team, summed up the experience of the showcase from the dancers’ perspectives: “Dancing with your best friends is the best feeling in the world, it makes all the hard work worth it!” Burns’ co-coordinator, Shannon Gaskarth, held a similar sentiment: “Throughout my three years on the team, I’ve experienced not only a transformation in my stage presence as a dancer, but in my leadership and artistic capability as a choreographer and designer.”
For many, this year’s showcase was a bittersweet experience as it was their final time performing with the team. Senior Coordinator Gabby Lalonde described the show as a “heartwarming way to close off the competition dance chapter of my life. This club has been a pleasure to run and I can’t wait to see what the incoming coordinators do with it next!” As Senior Coordinators Kate Vandermeulen, Gabby Lalonde and Bridget Cloetta say goodbye to the team, they could not be more proud to welcome incoming Senior Coordinators Sonoma Brawley and Léonie Gagnon.
By Reece Bastien - Contributor
The BU Club hockey season recently came to an end with a quarterfinals loss at nationals in Jacksonville Florida. While it may not be the result the team ultimately wanted, it’s important to celebrate the strides taken and those who will be leaving the team following this year.
This season marked the team’s third official year as a member of the AAU. With each season, the team has done nothing but progress toward the end goal of one day being the first Canadian team to raise the AAU trophy. Nationals this year marked the second straight time the team managed to qualify for the tournament and saw them achieve their highest place finish to date after going 3-0 to make it past the round robin. While the team did lose to middle Tennessee in that matchup, the team still had a remarkable season. With a regular season record of 13-1-0 and 3-10 in nationals they carried out the best season in the team’s young history.
In recognition of their efforts in making this team able to achieve the things it has in the past few years, I’d like to touch on the seniors who won’t be returning after this year.
Goaltenders Andrew Delages and Reece Bastien both made their final starts with the team in the 2024-25 season as they’ll both be graduating. Andrew posted a 5-2-0 record across eight starts stretching across three years with the team and provided a good goaltending option for the team. Reece started six games for his part posting a 2-3-0 record spanning across two seasons that saw him miss large spans of time while becoming a teacher.
While the defense didn’t see anybody graduate from the team this year, the forward core certainly took a hit. Will Côté, Ryan Gudernatsch, Frédéric Nicolas and Felix-Antoine Lespérance are all departing from the club this year. With games spanning across four seasons with the squad, Will scored 16 goals and 13 assists for a total of 29 points in 33 games
with his time on the team. Ryan played two years on the team and in 23 games, amassed 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points. Assistant captain, Felix, having been a member since before the team became a part of the AAU, suited up for 42 games over four seasons of play, totaling 8 goals and 8 assists for 16 points over that frame. Finally, another assistant captain, Fred, played three seasons with the team in which he became one of the team’s top point-getters in its history. Scoring 32 goals and 42 assists was good enough to give Fred a total of 74 points in the 33 games he played with the team. These totals place him second alltime in points behind coach Ryan Massicotte, and tied for all time goal leader with assistant coach Will Leclerc.
We wish the best of luck to these boys in their future endeavours outside of the school and want to thank them for helping continue making BU club hockey such a special program to play for. It’s been a pleasure getting to play and write for this school over the past few years. Thank you BU!
The dances were not the only thing showcased at A Movement in Time: besides talent and dedication, the quality that was most evident on and off stage was the love that the dancers held for the art and for each other.
*Kate Vandermeulen is Senior Coordinator of BU Dance
By Owen Kitzan - Sports Editor
The 2024-25 school year brought forth one of the best years the Gaiter athletics has seen in a long time. From conference champs to nationals champs, this sports season had it all at Bishops and made the school proud.
Starting off hot, the Gaiters football team went 8-0 in conference play securing an undefeated regular season. In the semifinals, they blew out Acadia with a resounding 59-0 victory to head to the AUS Loney Bowl. In that game against St-Marys, BU would find themselves down by three points with
five seconds left before Xavier Gervais hit a field goal to send the game to overtime. In the third overtime, the Gaiters would pull off a huge last-second come from behind to send themselves to the UTeck Bowl against Laurier. In this game, the Golden Hawks would prove to be too much for Bishops as they lost 48-24. Overall, the season was a huge success and really put BU football on the map. Justin Quirrion would end up
winning co-male athlete of the year for his role in the team over the course of the year and his standout play.
Women’s soccer had a development year for the program as they look towards the year ahead of them. They ended the season 0-12-7, coming close but not quite securing a win other than a mid-august bout against Western that saw them come away with a 1-0 victory. The team had many exciting games this season that came down to the wire and they should be an exciting watch in the 2025-26 campaign.
Men’s basketball had a very exciting season that saw them reach the national tournament in Vancouver. The team would finish 16-4 on the season with an impressive record heading into the playoffs. In the semi-finals, they dismantled ULaval easily by a score of 92-70. In the finals, they took on Concordia in front of a packed Mitchell gymnasium in Lennoxville. They took down the Stingers by a score of 7561 to secure the RSEQ championship. At nationals, they didn’t quite get the result they may have wanted, as they lost in back-to-back games to Victoria and Concordia to be knocked out of the tournament. The team’s season was still a success by any measure and brought hours of entertainment and excitement to the Bishops community. The main standout from the roster is the other co-male athlete of the year and male student-athlete of the year, Charles Robert, who has been a dominant force in RSEQ basketball for a few years now, as well as male freshman of the year Yanis Malanda.
Women’s basketball wanted to
make sure the men weren’t the only ones heading down to Vancouver as they also punched a bid to nationals this year. They finished the season with a record of 13-7, securing them a semi-final matchup against McGill. The team would come through and win a nail-biter at home by a score of 6359 to head to the RSEQ finals. In the final, ULaval would stand in their path in another game inside of an electric Mitchell gym. The women would once again win a tightly knit contest with the scoreboard reading 56-50 at the final buzzer as the Gaiters hoisted the RSEQ banner. At nationals, they also may not have found the results they wanted, as they dropped back-to-back against Carleton and a nail biter that saw them lose by 2 against ULaval. The Gaiters had a fantastic season led in large part by co-female athlete of the year Victoria Guana, as well as female leadership award winner Jasmine Martel, who won the award for her involvement in this sport and the next one.
Men and Women’s Rugby both took strides towards the future this year with the men finishing 2-4, while the women went 1-4-1. Women’s rugby saw award winners in the aforementioned Jasmine Martel, as well as female studentathlete of the year Mégane Beaudoin. With both teams having hit the gym all winter, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for them.
The golf team had a fantastic RSEQ campaign, securing a national bid for the first time ever on the women’s side, as well as a second trip for the men. Avery Mack and Shawn Robillard led the way this year for the Gaiters as they were both named the team MVPs, while Max Hay took home rookie of the year for the team. As the warm weather draws closer, make sure to stay tuned and cheer on your Gaiters golf as nationals approach and they look to make a name for themselves.
Women’s hockey had a stunning season that saw them overcome giants on their way to victory. With a record of
18-12-0, the Gaiters managed to defeat powerhouse Concordia who had only lost one game all season, prior to their playoff series. This win would secure a national championship run for BU where they continued to make things happen. In game one of nationals in Elmira Ontario, the team took down UBC in a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory. In the semi-finals against the University of Toronto, they would once again emerge victorious by a one goal margin to face off against the University of Waterloo in the finals. The Gaiters would shut the door and win 3-0 to achieve the program’s first national championship, pulling off an incredible run. Notable standouts from the team include co-female athlete of the year, Gabrielle Santerre, as well as female rookie of the year, Daphné Boutin.
Lacrosse had a rebuilding year as they went 1-10-0 on the season. Led by
the male leadership award winner Tony Tremblay, the team looked to help set the wheels in motion to get the team back into a position of success in the upcoming season.
Overall, the Bishop’s Gaiters had an incredible sporting campaign in 2024-25. With first ever national championship wins and bids, along with undefeated seasons and last second come-back thrillers, there wasn’t much more we could have asked for as fans of BU athletics. As we cap off one year we begin to look forward to the next. Go Gaiters!
Katlyn Stoneburner,, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com
By Lauren Root - Staff Writer
The Apr. 4 edition of the Morris House Reading Series (hosted by the English department and sponsored by the Decolonization Circle, Academic Enrichment and the Ogden Glass Lecture Series) brought the co-authors of Valley of the Birdtail to Bishop’s University. This acclaimed novel was released in 2022 by Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashi) and Andrew Stobo Sniderman. Both authors spoke in the Gait to an eager crowd about their personal histories as Indigenous men, as well as educating students and faculty about their writing process.
Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashi) is Swampy Cree, Beaver clan of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation and is a Fulbright
Scholar. He also holds the Prichard Wilson Chair in Law and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. Professor Sanderson has also served as a senior Advisor to the Ontario government, working in the office of the Attorney General and Aboriginal Affairs. Andrew Stobo Sniderman is a scholar, lawyer and journalist hailing from Montreal. His work has been featured in the Globe and Mail, New York Times and Maclean’s. Sniderman has also argued before the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as served as the human rights policy advisor to the Canadian minister of foreign affairs.
This edition of the Morris House Reading Series began with a traditional Indigenous song to showcase family healing and reconciliation after residential schools and the 60s Scoop.
Both authors began to speak about their novel, which is an intimate recount of the history of Canada. It follows
two families, one who lives on an Ojibwe reservation, and the other who lives in a town founded by settlers. It runs the experiment on what happens if a community is integrated using proper education and being allowed to develop credit, while the other community is denied all of that. As mentioned by the authors, it shows “a staggering inequality” in the history of Canadians, and Valley of the Birdtail is an attempt to explain how that happens.
Douglas Sanderson and Andrew Stobo Sniderman spoke at length about the difficulties of co-writing their novel and finding a balance between having both of their ideas fully represented. One of their major concerns was to figure out how to have both voices represented while being truthful to both authors. They ended up making a system where each author had superior authority over a certain chapter, to try and minimize conflict.
Andrew Stobo Sniderman spoke about the
importance of being able to coauthor this book, stating: “If we cannot write a book together, Canada cannot talk about reconciliation.” Compromise must happen at all levels of Canadian society to properly have reconciliation.
Speaking about interviewing sources, Andrew Stobo Sniderman talked about how to make the best version of the story, while finding the people who carry the weight of the narrative. If people can see themselves in the characters, the goal is to see that there is a part of you in these characters and to make it as realistic as possible.
This edition of the Morris House Reading Series provided an educational opportunity for all those in attendance to learn about decolonization and reconciliation. While speaking about their book, Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashi) and Andrew Stobo Sniderman were able to share tips on how to properly interview sources and the importance of having their truth shine through the writing.
“Journalism should be a tool for liberation, not a tool for genocide,” Ashira Darwin says
and holding power accountable.
“Keep talking, keep exposing media bias and misleading language,” one panellist insisted. “There isn’t a ceasefire deal any more. Deaths have continued to occur.” The panel suggested that a lack of historical understanding of the liberation struggle has led to the ending of the narrative with the end of this wave of global protest. But the movement hasn’t stopped. “Media coverage didn’t get better after the ceasefire, the aforementioned issues continue” another panellist continued, “Anyone on a college campus must move.”
Ashira Darwish, keynote speaker of the conference, reflected on her experience as a journalist in Palestine as “one of the most dangerous careers anyone can take,” facing the force of Israel: “They want to silence us and silence their crimes.”
To student journalists, she stressed
this: “The journalism we are taught is created by the West, and it says we can’t take sides, [that] we must stand on the side and watch. Not taking action - that is the complete opposite of what journalists are. If they have a voice, there is a need for a journalist to tell their story… If you are a [journalist], you should stand on the side of the oppressed people. We have a responsibility to not protect the oppressors.”
For Darwish, the oppressors should be apparent. The asymmetry of warfare, the military censorship, and the dehumanization of Palestinians as a result of their propaganda – even beyond the daily subjugation of basic rights being withheld. She emphasised that “nothing is happening in Palestine that Palestinians would want to hide.”
The imperative for journalists, students, and all citizens is this: you must decide if you share what is happening and you must be aware of the implications of the form you share it in.
Katlyn Stoneburner, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com
By Katy Stoneburner - Features Editor
Dr. Genner Llanes-Ortiz, a Maya scholar from Yucatan, Mexico, and the Canada Research Chair in Digital Indigeneities at Bishop’s, recently delivered a compelling presentation titled “Better Together: Digital Indigeneities – Technologies for the Next 7 Generations”.
In his talk, Dr. Llanes-Ortiz explored the concept of “digital indigeneities,” a term coined in 2013 by Indigenous media practitioners and scholars to describe the myriad ways Indigenous communities
harness digital technologies to preserve, transmit and invigorate their cultural practices and knowledge systems. He emphasized that Indigenous peoples are not
merely passive consumers of technology but active agents who adapt and reshape these tools to serve their needs and aspirations.
One of the key points Dr. Llanes-Ortiz discussed was the establishment of digital territories by Indigenous groups. By creating online spaces, these communities assert their presence in the digital realm, ensuring their voices and perspectives are represented and heard. This digital occupation serves as a modern extension of their physical territories, reinforcing sovereignty and self-determination.
Furthermore, he highlighted how digital platforms have expanded Indigenous storytelling repertoires. Traditional narratives are being reimagined and shared through various multimedia formats, allowing for a broader reach and engagement with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences. This evolution not only breathes new life into age-old stories but also fosters cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.
Dr. Llanes-Ortiz also addressed the critical issue of data sovereignty. He underscored the importance of Indigenous communities having control over their digital data, ensuring that it is collected, stored, and used in ways that align with their values and interests. This autonomy
safeguards against potential exploitation and misrepresentation, empowering communities to manage their information responsibly.
Another intriguing aspect of his presentation was the concept of indigenizing algorithmic principles. Dr. Llanes-Ortiz illustrated how Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems can inform and transform the design and function of algorithms, leading to more inclusive and culturally sensitive technological solutions.
Through these innovative approaches, Indigenous
practitioners are not only preserving their heritage but also ensuring its relevance and vitality for future generations. Dr. Llanes-Ortiz’s insights shed light on the dynamic interplay between tradition and technology, demonstrating that Indigenous communities are at the forefront of creating a more inclusive and diverse digital future.
For those interested in delving deeper into this subject, further information about Dr. Llanes-Ortiz’s work and the Canada Research Chair in Digital Indigeneities can be found on the Bishops University’s website.
By Christina Lépine - Staff Writer
As I stepped foot into the old library in the McGreer Building to work on assignments, I noticed a shelf full of royal blue albums containing older editions of The Campus newspaper. As I browsed through old issues dating back to the 1980s, I wondered what life looked like on campus then and
what news was reported. This led me to reflect on our campus’ history and how little I knew about the people who inspired all the building names. I started digging in the university’s archives to learn about the Bishop’s history. Here is what I found.
Founding Bishop’s Bishop Mountain, an Englishman who came to Canada in the 1790s, co-founded Bishop’s College in collaboration with Reverend Lucius Doolittle, whose name you see when shopping for books and merchandise at our student co-op in the Student Union Building, officially called Mountain House. In 1845, Reverend Jasper H. Nicolls was appointed the first Principal of Bishop’s College, and in collaboration with Bishop Mountain, obtained the Royal Charter to raise the Bishop’s College to the status of a university. The first principal’s name is featured on the Nicolls Building. In 1894, Maude Abbott, one of Bishop’s medical faculty’s most widely acclaimed graduates and one of the first women graduates, received her degree. We can now hear her name whenever one talks about Abbott Field, situated next to the old arena.
The 1900s
In 1922, Reverend Arthur Huffman McGreer became Bishop’s
ninth Principal and succeeded in doubling enrollment and achieving financial stability and academic autonomy during his 25 year term. Bishop’s most emblematic McGreer Building, now housing administrative offices and conference rooms, is named after him. On Nov. 10, 1944, the first issue of the student newspaper The Campus was published. In 1947, The Campus newspaper and the Committee on Athletics sponsored a competition to find a nickname for
the university’s football team, and a student’s suggestion of a gator won. The name was then changed to be spelled “Gaiter” as a play on words for an Anglican College.
In 1961, Bruce Coulter was hired as Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach and built a strong football team and alumni network of former athletes. In 1991, the football stadium was named in his honour, as our Bishop’s Gaiters now play on Coulter Field. In 1964, four students wrote and sang the Bishop’s song at the annual Bishop’s Winter Carnival, now known by all as Winterfest. This song became an important tradition as all students participating in Orientation Week must serenade the principal as a rite of passage.
What is next?
These historical events only form a portion of Bishop’s rich history. As I searched through archived documents and testimonies from former students, I discovered fun facts that made me enjoy studying here even more. As my time on campus comes to an end, I find myself thinking about all the former students who created the Bishop’s community through time and current students who keep improving it. I strongly encourage others to partake in this exercise and discover more about our campus’ history.
By Abigail Epstein - Arts & Culture Editor
Pedro’s Sweet Sativa is a staple of the Bishop’s University cultural scene.
Composed of students Braeden Ozechowski, Angus Whyte, Zack Gauthier, Liam Wozny and Caelan Abbott, this long-standing institution recently released their debut single, “Velvet Woman”. Anticipating their upcoming EP, the band offers insight into their past, present and future in an exclusive interview with The Campus.
Can you describe how your band came to be?
We all played on the rugby team and discovered a shared love for music. Slowly, we started jamming, and people started to appreciate the music. We started performing at acoustic Tuesday at the lion and eventually got asked to play a concert outside at Cottage. Our first show was played on a stage made of snow, with ten watt amps, in the middle of a blizzard. We didn’t think anyone could even hear us, but we were hooked.
Is there a story behind the name “Pedro’s Sweet Sativa”?
Not one that’s appropriate for public consumption.
Tell me about your creative process: How do you delegate the creative aspects of your music?
Our processes usually involve a collaborative effort in terms of our process. They evolve organically from us jamming an idea together and everyone contributes something.
You recently released “Velvet Woman” and are in the process of putting out another single. How have you developed since your last release?
We had been jamming with “Velvet
Woman” would be the perfect introduction to Pedro’s sound. We recorded the song from scratch in the Cool Ranch basement, using Garageband.
We have a ton of songs in the works and will be releasing an EP soon with three songs. Our goal is to frequently release new music. We have lots of ideas and working independently on Garageband allows us to release music quickly without having to
Woman” for a while. It was just something we put together while practicing one night and all really loved. Once we decided to release an original song, we knew “Velvet
conform to ‘Big Music’. How has being in this band affected your student experience at Bishop’s? It’s safe to say that it’s been a highlight of
our experiences here. There were no other bands playing when we first started here and live music is always a vibe so we hope that our fellow students have enjoyed it as much as we have!
How does the Bishop’s environment inspire you artistically? In terms of performance?
We believe that Bishop’s is an institution and a community where you can find and express your true self. The BU crowds are always electric, and we feed off of that. There are always so many familiar faces that, on some level, it feels just like playing to our friends down in the Cool Ranch basement.
Do you have any creative influences? We love The Tragically Hip. Canadian bands hold a special place in our hearts. But we all grew up on classic rock bands like Zeppelin and Skynrd.
What has been a standout performance, of the ones you’ve done at Bishop’s?
Our last gig at the Lion on the Friday of St. Paddy’s weekend was unreal. It felt like the entire community was there and the energy was off the charts for three hours straight. Where do you see the future of the band? We’re hoping to play some shows this summer… so if there are any wellconnected alumni reading this, please help!!!
Anything else on your bucket list?
By Éliana Vuillaume - Contributor
On Mar. 25, students, professors, farmers, community members and several key political actors, gathered to share an evening envisioning what future sustainable food systems could look like.
The event started off in the lobby of the Centennial Theater at Bishop’s University with a panel discussion during which farmers, researchers, and food innovators gathered to discuss different challenges that local and global food systems are facing. As she introduced the panelists during the opening words of the event, Dr. Vivian Valencia, Research Chair in Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Action and professor at Bishop’s University, talked about an article in The Guardian that inspired her to organize the event in collaboration with BU Arts Festival. The article was about an event called the Last Supper: a meal curated by a former White House chef, Sam Kass that explored different dishes and foods whose futures are at risk because of climate change.
This, along with a visioning exercise held last September with fellow researchers, artists, farmers, restaurants owners and other key community
members, inspired her to create a methodology for inspiring change and reimagining the food system.
“We realized that people are not getting mobilized because it’s not necessarily that you need to show them more data or more statistics or another scientific paper.
That’s not changing people’s minds, or at least not mobilizing them to action” she explained in an interview. “So that’s when we felt that we needed to do something that reached people at a deeper level, not just an intellectual cognitive level.”
Following the panel discussion, attendees and guests were invited to visit and admire the art installation held in the Foreman Gallery. The installation was created by artist curator Marie-Pierre Ranger and artist Faustine Escoffier, who started working on the installation of the art in the middle of January.
“We [Marie-Pierre and I] wanted to create a sensory experience in art installations”. Using sound recordings, textures, fabrics and real objects guests and visitors interacted with the art installation in different ways, whether it was by walking among the roots hanging from the
ceiling or sitting down at a table and writing a reflection with natural dyes.
Later that evening, sixty guests, including researchers, students, community actors, and political actors, stayed for the second part of the event, the actual supper.
The First Supper was carefully curated by Dr. Vivian Valencia and Marc-Antoine
Joncas Zarate, co-owner of Terroirs Restaurant. The menu that he and Dr. Vivian Valencia worked on was meant to tell a story and explain an important aspect of the food system.
For this, each dish part of the fourcourse meal was designed to promote local produce but also raise people’s awareness: “It was also not only to provide a creative food service, but also a way to make people react and take a position about it [local produce]”, Marc-Antoine Joncas Zarate explained.
So, what happened when art, food and science are brought together to promote a more sustainable local food system?
“It connects very well… I think it’s the basics [art and agriculture] of our communities”, expressed the Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, P.C., M.P., former Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and current member of The House of Commons for ComptonStanstead, who was among the guests present at the First Supper. “It’s who we are. What you eat and what you read and what you dance. And it makes us think more about our food sovereignty.”
Abby Epstein,, Arts & Culture Editor » thecampus.artsculture@gmail.com
By Jaurès Goké - Contributor
Artworks taking over the sports complex, fiery hip-hop dance battles at the Gait and a private, thoughtfully curated dinner led by an environmentally-conscious chef designed as both a sensory experience and a collective reflection on the future of the agri-food industry. On Mar. 22, the BUAF wasn’t just back; it was reborn at the heart of the Lennoxville community. The 2025 edition of Bishop’s University Arts Festival brought together artists, organizers and the public to reflect on a central question: what is the evolving role of art in our shared future?
This year’s theme, “Evolve,” emerged from a desire to reflect on
the major transitions our society is undergoing both ecologically and culturally. “Evolve for me symbolizes transformation and adaptation resilience. We urgently need to create sustainable change by reimagining our relationship with nature and each other through connection and collaboration,” shared Marie-Pier Ranger, Artistic Director of the festival.
From upcycled clothing customization workshops to yoga sessions accompanied by live music performances, the festival’s programming highlighted a key idea: that progress whether personal or collective begins with conscious, creative and grounded practices.
“The events embody Evolve as a living process reconnecting art, nature,
science and community to collectively imagine sustainable futures. It’s an invitation to transform, both individually and collectively,” explained Imen Djendli, BUAF’s Production Manager.
Working on the BUAF proved to be a meaningful experience, for both participants and organizers alike.
“Working in this festival helped me learn so much about myself and about working with a team. At the start I found it a bit challenging, since we are so many people with different personalities and ways of working, but once we began to make the festival happen I realized it was so valuable to be working with such an amazing and hardworking team,” said Barbara Camelo Gobo, BUAF’s Marketing Director.
I completely share that feeling. As
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a member of the marketing team, I was in charge of designing the posters for the different festival events. To do so, I took time to connect with each event coordinator to understand their vision and create visuals that resonated with everyone. This festival pushed me, not only to improve my communication skills, but also to strengthen my professional organization.
The 2025 edition of BUAF proved that art is much more than aesthetic pleasure: it is a language of change. The theme Evolve, by bringing together diverse artistic disciplines under a shared goal of evolution, reminded us that progress starts in spaces like this. Spaces where ideas breathe, where teams rise together and where art doesn’t just reflect the world—it transforms it.
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THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS:
Megane Masson
Josef Spence
Elsa Cunnington
Bella Lorefice
Jon DeGooyer
Lila Syemushyn
Samiya Bouziane
Merceron
Reece Bastien
Jaurès Goke
Éliana Vaulliame
Chloe Hawes
Joseph Aubert, Economics & Business Editor » thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com
By Joseph Aubert - Economics & Business Editor
Bishop’s University has long been celebrated for its tight-knit community, academic excellence, and gorgeous campus, but in 2024-25, it was the Gaiters’ athletic prowess that stole the national spotlight - and potentially set the stage for a surge in enrollment and institutional visibility.
In a historic year, the Gaiters captured championships across multiple sports: RSEQ titles in men’s and women’s basketball, an AUS football championship, and, most notably, the university’s firstever U Sports Canadian national title in women’s hockey. The women’s hockey team’s 3-0 shutout over Waterloo in the final capped a rapid ascent for a program that only joined the RSEQ in 2021.
This unprecedented success has sparked conversations about the “Flutie Effect” – a phenomenon where athletic victories lead to increased university applications and visibility – introduced by Stephen Cabana, Assistant Director of Economic Development Services for the City of Sherbrooke, in a LinkedIn post on Mar. 24. Named after Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie, who threw an
iconic Hail Mary pass in the fall of 1984 that was followed by a 16 per cent spike in applications, the effect has since been observed at a wide range of institutions, such as the University of Florida, Boise State and Northwestern, to name a few.
While Canadian universities have historically underutilised athletics as a strategic tool, Bishop’s may be poised to buck that trend. Research shows that athletic
success can significantly raise a school’s profile, especially among out-of-province and international students. It also enhances alumni engagement and donations, both critical to the long-term financial health of higher education institutions.
The implications for Bishop’s are substantial. With out-of-province enrollment pressures, a winning sports culture could serve as a differentiator in
a competitive post-secondary landscape. Schools like Mizzou and Georgetown have seen double-digit increases in applications following athletic milestones. Even a modest bump in applications could translate into significant additional tuition revenue and greater selectivity in admissions.
Beyond numbers, the Gaiters’ success reinforces institutional values: resilience, excellence and community. As Stephen Cabana, noted in his recent LinkedIn post, “When a university wins on the ice, it wins on other fronts: recruitment, reputation and strategic alignment.”
To fully capitalize on this “Flutie” momentum, Bishop’s must integrate athletics into its broader branding and recruitment strategy. This means showcasing the Gaiters in marketing campaigns, leveraging media coverage and deepening alumni and donor engagement. Sustaining a winning culture requires ongoing investments in coaching, facilities and athlete support, but the return could be transformative.
As the Gaiters hoist banners, Bishop’s has a chance to raise its profile far beyond Lennoxville. The Flutie effect isn’t just an American phenomenon – it might just be Bishop’s next big play.
By Chloe Hawes - Contributor
The Bishop’s University Accounting Society (BUAS) hosted its endof-semester wine and cheese networking event on Thursday, Mar. 27. The event was a huge success for the student-run society, with a record-setting turnout of more than 100 attendees.
Although primarily directed at students in the accounting concentration, the event was open to all Williams School of Business (WSB) students, as well as those in the economics concentration. There was a mix of firms, industry professionals and professors at the event, which allowed students to have meaningful conversations about their aspiring careers and provided a space to strengthen their connections with their peers and professors.
Participating firms at the event included EY, MNP, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, CPA Québec, FBL, MindBridge, RBC Dominion Securities and MPA.
Léonie Gagnon, a second-year accounting student with intentions of joining BUAS for the 2025-26 academic year, spoke positively about the evening.
“The wine and cheese hosted by BUAS was a great opportunity to connect with accounting firms, ask questions about the CPA path and learn more about
future internships in a relaxed, welcoming setting,” she said. “Having professors and the Dean there really showed how
supportive and involved our faculty is in helping us succeed.”
After graduation, many accounting
students wish to become Chartered Professional Accountants (CPAs). The journey to becoming a CPA looks different for everyone depending on if you decide to work post-graduation or study fulltime for the Common Final Examination. Having young CPAs at the event allowed for students to ask questions on their paths which will help them decide which path they want to take in obtaining their CPA designation.
Jordan Messier, an accounting student who will be continuing his involvement with BUAS next year, also shared his experience.
“I loved the wine and cheese event –it was the perfect chance to connect with other students and firms, unwind and chat about career goals and understand what the next steps are,” he said. “Events like these really build a sense of community, which is why I’m excited to stay in the club next year.”
The BUAS will continue to provide meaningful events for WSB students in the future, and they hope to continue to see growth in the interest of students wanting to pursue accounting as a career. The society remains committed to empowering students through opportunities that inspire, inform, and connect.