SINCE 1944
APRIL 13, 2021
Vol. 76, No. 11
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Student run since 1944
Police and COVID-19 | Page 2
The Story of Belle (poetry) | Page
We can do better | Page 5
Annual Congress of Sports Studies | Page 10
Norman Webster: an inspiring man | Page 7
Pizza mania in Lennoxville | Page 12
Moving out and moving on
Roommates Theresa Graham (left) and Holly Benison moving the Drama Department heirloom pumpkin from the 2011 production of Cinderella. Courtesy of Casey Hebert Design by Jess Lapenna & Hugh Godman
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NEWS
THE CAMPUS APRIL 13, 2021
Cassie MacDonell, News Editor » thecampus.news@gmail.com
THE EDITORS 2020-2021 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HUGH GODMAN
thecampus.editor@gmail.com
SENIOR COPY EDITOR CASEY HEBERT
thecampus.copyeditor@gmail.com
COPY EDITOR JUSTINE TREMPE thecampus.jce@gmail.com
LAYOUT EDITOR JESS LAPENNA
thecampus.layout@gmail.com
BUSINESS MANAGER JUSTIN BRANT
thecampus.business@gmail.com
NEWS EDITOR CASSIE MACDONELL thecampus.news@gmail.com
OPINIONS EDITOR SAFIA HAFID
Police and COVID-19: are they allowed to do that? Regulations have been changing rapidly and often without warning due to the uncertainty of the virus. Last week, Premier François Legault called on police forces across the province to be less lenient on people disregarding social distancing directives. Along with these changing regulations comes increased power given to police. The Quebec police force was recently given the power to skip a step when issuing fines to those in non-compliance with social distancing, meaning that fines no longer have to be processed by the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions in Montreal. In addition, police have the power to obtain “telewarrants,” a power the police have had since fall, which allow them to quickly gain permission to enter homes to enforce lockdown restrictions. Police in Quebec can use a phone or fax machine to get a warrant by a judge to enter a home they believe is acting against public health directives. Typically,
the warrant would take a few days to arrive, which does not make sense for police who want to break up gatherings and parties the same evening. Police have the right to ask for proof of residency, and if refused entry, obtain a telewarrant. While granting police more powers during a public health emergency is necessary to implement certain rules, it could also lead to race-bias discrimination, the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations in Montreal explained. Other advocates are raising the same concern about the telewarrant measure, with Michael Bryant, executive director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association Citizens, telling Solomon during an interview for the Solomon Show his concerns. “Studies have proven over and over that Black, Indigenous, and people of colour will too often be the targets of these telewarrants, that’s just been in our history in Canada and racial profiling by telewarrant is a real threat,” Bryan said. He
Cassie MacDonell News Editor
does acknowledge that the decision to extend these powers is difficult to make as there is not enough known about COVID-19. One student speaks about a recent time where they didn’t realize a specific regulation was in effect. “Rules are changing so fast. Yesterday I was sitting outside in the quad doing some work with my roommate. I was wondering why the quad was empty since it was such a nice day until campus security asked us to put our masks on, even though we live together and are outdoors. I understand that campus security is just doing its job, but it’s crazy how uncertain all the rules are,” says one student. One day after this incident, on April 9, Bishop’s sent an email explaining that masks are required when doing activities with others outside. From March 30 to April 5, the Sherbrooke Police issued 32 reports for non-compliance with the curfew. For the same period, 16 reports were issued for illegal gatherings.
thecampus.opinions@gmail.com
FEATURES EDITOR JEREMY AUDET
thecampus.features@gmail.com
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
Bishop’s professor Jason Rowe: Co-Investigator of NASA’s Pandora mission Cassie MacDonell News Editor
Since 1958, NASA has studied everything from moons to planets and stars, constantly contributing to our modern knowledge of space. thecampus.ac@gmail.com Still, common, burning questions remain, namely about the presence of life beyond Earth. Jason Rowe, PhD, Associate Professor at Bishop’s SPORTS EDITOR University and the Canada Research Chair in Extrasolar Planet DAVID ROSSITER Astrophysics, takes us a step closer to answering this question with thecampus.sports@gmail.com his research in discovering and characterizing exoplanets, which are ECONOMICS & planets that orbit a star outside the solar system. Last week, he was BUSINESS EDITOR named the Co-Investigator and a primary space team member of the proposed NASA Pandora mission to learn more about exoplanets, SAMY CAUVET thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com which could mean crossing another significant step in the quest to find life. Rowe is receiving the help of Kelsey Hoffman, PhD, Visiting GRAPHICS EDITOR Scholar at Bishop’s, in addition to their students and collaborators from LEEA REBECA RUTA NASA, universities, and research institutes. The principal investigator thecampus.graphics@gmail.com is Elisa Quintana of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre. Pandora is one of four missions selected for further concept SOCIAL MEDIA development under NASA’s new Pioneers program, which strives COORDINATORS to conduct astrophysics science at a lower cost using smaller-scale FIONA DORAN & missions. After additional definition, these four concept studies will be MACKENZIE HOLMES reviewed before being approved for flight. Pandora is a small satellite, or SmallSat, that will study 20 stars and their 39 exoplanets in visible PHOTOGRAPHER and infrared light. An issue that past planet-hunting telescopes faced, THERESA GRAHAM including the Kepler Space Telescope that Rowe previously worked on, are stars that get in the way and give the impression that some THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS transiting exoplanets have atmosphere characteristics that, in reality, belong to these stars. Pandora aims to separate the characteristics that Shayne MacDonald belong to a star versus which belong to a transiting exoplanet, helping Andrew Phillips scientists be certain they see the correct observations. By finding out Rebecca Campbell more about these characteristics, scientists can get an idea of what the Sydney Wilson planet is like and whether it may be habitable. Virginia Rufina MarquezThe Pandora mission is not the first time Rowe collaborated Pacheco with NASA. Rowe was awarded the NASA Exceptional Scientific Manu Bissonnette Achievement medal during his time with the Kepler Space Telescope Pascale Desmarais team, a mission that revealed the presence of more planets than Marlene Canue stars in our galaxy. Rowe later joined the SETI Institute as a research Nathaniele Pelletier scientist and member of the Kepler Science office, where his continued work on exoplanets led to the discovery of an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone of a nearby star, earning him a second NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement medal during his tenure.
BRIDGET BOUCHER
Graphic by Leea Rebeca Ruta
NEWS
SINCE 1944
COVID-19 claims another graduating class Add the class of 2021 to the list of graduating classes that have been undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the second year in a row, the graduating students of Bishop’s University will have an unorthodox conclusion to their Gaiter careers. In times of the unusual, students will once again have to test their resilience and their resourcefulness to find new ways to celebrate the end of their academic journeys. Luckily, just as they have been doing all year for various events, the Bishop’s University Students’ Representative Council has stepped up to give the class of 2021 a somewhat proper send-off. The SRC’s Director of Events, in tandem with an assembled Grad Formal Committee, prepared a virtual Grad Formal that was attended by students through The Gait’s Twitch stream on April 9. The evening consisted of an awards portion and a slideshow to highlight the time spent at Bishop’s by the class of 2021. One of the people behind the SRC’s efforts of the past year is Director of Events Amelia Krallis. Krallis has faced the challenge of organizing events such as Orientation Week, Winterfest, and most recently Grad Formal in the age of COVID-19. Krallis shared her thoughts on the job done by the SRC in the last academic year. “After a year of compromise and creative solutions, I believe we’ve been very successful in each of the events and projects put on this year.” On April 7, Grad Formal bundles were distributed to all those graduating students who registered for one. The free bundles provided by the SRC through alumni donations consisted of a three-course dinner, wine, and several decorations to make living rooms as close to the normal Grad Formal as possible. Krallis spoke about the job done by the 2021 Grad Formal Committee: “The Grad Formal Committee has put together a wonderful bundle to set up each student house with the ingredients to make their own dinner and decorations for a memorable, at-home Grad Formal.” The class of 2021 is fortunate enough to receive this effort from the SRC to at least salvage some “feel-good” moments as their time at Bishop’s dwindles to a close. Graduating student Cedrik Moore spoke about this unusual end to his time at Bishop’s. “Losing graduation to COVID-19 is a heavy and painful blow to the end of my academic career. There’s an air of disappointment and unfulfillment of not being able to properly say goodbye to dear friends, teachers, and the best university in the world.” This is a sentiment that is no doubt shared by several graduates this year. Moore also spoke about the efforts by the SRC this past year and what it has done for him. “As for the SRC, while definitely limited in what they can realistically do, I believe that they have done their best in attempting to bring some light into these murky times… I am very pleased with what
“L
Shayne MacDonald Contributor
they have managed to do this year.” The class of 2021 will savour every possible feel-good moment that remains at Bishop’s, which includes a special and unique Grad Formal for 2021. There exists a silver lining that can be found by spending that moment with only those closest to you. This year’s graduating class will march into the world, no doubt with a new appreciation for the little things in life. To the class of 2021, remember how you entered; be proud of how you leave.
Slow vaccine rollout in Quebec and Ontario Since the beginning of the pandemic, the light at the end of the tunnel was the COVID-19 vaccine. Finally, Canada has arrived at this point with four vaccines approved in the country: Moderna, Pfizer-BioNtech, AstraZeneca, and Janssen. Despite the approval, the distribution of vaccines has been slower than anticipated. In Canada, only 16 per cent of the population has received a vaccination dosage, a low number compared to 33 per cent in the United States. According to the Canadian COVID-19 vaccine tracker, 6.2 million Canadians have received at least one dose, and of the roughly 10 million doses delivered in Canada, only 68 per cent have been administered. As of April 7, 746,667 Canadians are fully vaccinated, with 43.5 per cent residing in Ontario. Nineteen per cent of the Quebec population has received at least one dose. As more vaccines are delivered and administered, eligibility to receive the vaccine changes. In Ontario, Phase
J
Contents of Grad Formal basket provided by the SRC. Courtesy of Shayne MacDonald
Andrew Phillips Contributor
1 began in Dec. 2020, which allowed only the vulnerable and their caregivers to receive a vaccine. Phase 2, which started this April, saw the vaccine available to older adults, people in high-risk settings, frontline workers, and other populations at risk of illness. Phase 3 is set to begin in July 2021 and will have the vaccine available province-wide for those who want to be immunized. Quebec has been administering doses based on priority groups. Priority groups began with vulnerable people and workers in health care and social services. Next were isolated communities, retirement home residents, and retirement home workers. The next requirement was age, beginning at those 80 years old and above, then 70 and above, and finally most regions of Quebec are now 60 years old and up. There are mixed opinions about when vaccines will be available to everyone. Some people feel that past vaccine distribution delays are proof that the current schedule will
not be followed. When asked about his opinion of Ontario’s plan to have vaccines available in July to anyone that wants one, Bishop’s student Ryan Maxwell was skeptical. He felt that the changing government promises made it “hard to know what to believe anymore. Dates keep on changing, and the rules and regulations as well. I’m not worrying about the date anymore; I will just be ready to receive it whenever they decide it’s available.” Should you be eligible to receive a vaccine in Ontario, visit Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine website and book your appointment. Once you input your postal code, you can select which group you fall under and the website will direct you to the next steps. To receive your vaccination in Quebec, go to the Quebec COVID-19 vaccine website and select the option to make an appointment. You will be directed to another website to select your health care request and input your postal code to receive the next steps.
and Acknowledgement. We acknowledge the Abenaki people and the Wabanaki Confederacy, the traditional stewards and protectors of the territories upon which we are learning. In performing land acknowledgement, we make what was invisible visible, and invite the land, the First Nations people, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into our conversations. This act of naming - of inviting something into language - is an underlying principle of advocacy and lies at the heart of higher education. The etymology of advocacy is ad (to add) + vocare (call or voice): the origin of the word’s meaning is to give voice to something or to call out in order to initiate dialogue. The “ad’ prefix makes explicit the importance of multiple voices - and by extension multiple perspectives. In this sense, advocacy compels us to acknowledge a diversity of thoughts and opinions as a starting point rather than as an ideal outcome. In institutions of higher learning, we have a responsibility to honour spaces for emerging and established voices to engage in productive, respectful, and sometimes even uncomfortable conversations where individuals are safe to speak truth to power, explore and challenge dominant ideologies, and call out injustices and inequalities in order to imagine new ways of existing.” Dr. Jessica Riddell
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OPINIONS
THE CAMPUS APRIL 13, 2021
Safia Hafid, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com
Discrimination against studies with disabilities regarding bursary Rebecca Campbell Contributor
Bishop’s University has opened their bursary eligibility to students with disabilities, but they will not tell
you that. For several semesters now, I have been working with the Student Accommodations and Accessibility Services (SAAS) team; the support I have received from them has been integral to managing my disability while enhancing my academic success. Yet, the financial hardship faced by many students during COVID-19, including myself, threatened my ability to return to school. Fortunately, I was awarded a bursary to alleviate some of this financial stress, and I returned to Bishop’s in the fall. For this semester, winter 2021, I decided to take a reduced course load in order to better manage both my disability and my education. Through my province’s student loan program and SAAS, students with disabilities are often eligible to take as few as two courses while still maintaining full-time student status. However, the Bishop’s scholarship program does not recognize the full-time status of students with disabilities. In fact, Bishop’s revoked my financial aid when I registered for under 12 credits in order to prioritize my health. At that point, I realized that Bishop’s University had arranged their financial support program to exclude all students with disabilities who required a reduced course load. This exclusion gives preference to students without disabilities while discriminating against accommodated students pursuing higher education.
Rethinking phone use
I was absolutely furious and indignant at the removal of my funds based on this prejudiced policy. This turn of events marked the beginning of an email chain between Jamie Berwick, the Bursar; Stine Linden-Anderson, the Dean of Student Affairs; and me, regarding this university’s discriminatory policies towards students with disabilities. I was first notified by Berwick that I would be offered half of my original scholarship in recognition of my fulltime status. I accepted this compromise since I was taking fewer courses, but I emphasized to Berwick and LindenAnderson that my exception did not address the school’s financial discrimination against students with disabilities. A four-month correspondence, spanning from December 2020 to March 2021, resulted in the university adapting the application process to include students approved for a reduced course load through SAAS. This alteration is an important and necessary step towards equity and inclusion for the Bishop’s bursary and scholarship program. However, the administration has since done almost nothing to notify new and current students of the change. Furthermore, the website still indicates that eligibility for bursaries is dependent on enrolment in 12 credits, regardless of accommodations. Minimal effort was made by the administration on Feb. 25 to deliver written evidence of this policy change to students. Berwick and Linden-Anderson sent an edited version of a previous email explaining the application process for bursaries and scholarships for returning students. The original email did not include the application for scholarships and bursaries for students with disabilities
and failed to make the adjusted full-time status explicit. This new email, while addressing the new eligibility requirements, left the important additions to the “FAQ Section” of the email, which requires students to thoroughly read through the entire email. Since the financial aid eligibility adjustment only applies to students with accommodations, it seems like an easy solution for the school to have SAAS notify all registered students of this update. Why did the university not put more effort into relaying the new eligibility to students with disabilities? It feels all too intentional that there was not more effort on the school’s behalf to ensure students with disabilities had pertinent information regarding financial support. Financial hardship can be a barrier to education for many, and Bishop’s University owes its students equitable support in the financial aid program, especially during a time like this. It is too common to overlook marginalized groups, and there is a reason that Bishop’s University promotes a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. However, I am forced to ask, is it all smoke and mirrors? Changing the application process to remove the ableist bias will not do any good if no students are informed of the change. You cannot apply for funding you do not know is available. It is essential that students hold Bishop’s accountable for their exclusionary policies and demand that Bishop’s University’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion move beyond their welcome brochure. This all begs the question: is bureaucracy at Bishop’s preventing an equitable, diverse, and inclusive school while maintaining the status quo?
Sydney Wilson Contributor
Since the global pandemic began, my screen time–mainly on my phone–has increased by almost 50 per cent. I grow more and more horrified every Sunday when I receive the notification about how much time I have spent looking at my phone. It becomes even worse when I see that I am spending approximately two hours a day on social media, usually due to procrastination from schoolwork. As much as I appreciate my phone, my laptop, and the technology around me, I find that they cause a lot of damage as well. One of the issues surrounding social media is the content–there is so much of it, which keeps your attention for longer periods of time than intended. I tell myself I will only use my phone for 10 minutes; the next thing I know, an hour has passed. These apps are designed to keep users focused on the content in front of them, after all, trying to keep their attention for as long as possible. Even when I try setting screen time on certain apps that I use the most, I often simply turn it off, drawn to yet another interesting thing. It must be acknowledged that many businesses are now on social media. This can be good and advantageous. I have applied to certain jobs through social media and bought products I have seen from advertisements. Businesses use consumer data to target customers on social media with advertisements they might not realize impact them. Quite honestly, I do not think most consumers realize the social media site they use sells their data to companies in order for them to create targeted ads; the more time people spend on social media, the more available data there is. As a business major who understands the marketing tactics behind these ads, I find it quite interesting. When most people learn this, though, they find it creepy instead. For me, when I take a break from schoolwork–which, due to the pandemic, is almost all on my laptop–I use my phone and scroll through social media. While this is a “break” from my laptop, I am still looking at a screen. Then, I wonder why I am not sleeping well at night. I already know the problem, however; I spend too much time in front of a screen during the day and limited time away from technology. Personally, I cannot wait for in-person classes again, seeing as I will be able to participate in human interaction rather than just talking to people on my screen. Overall,
I use technology a lot; it is a large part of my life, as it is for most people. Still, I feel like this much screen time is beginning to exhaust me. The answer is clear: I need to start taking more breaks away from technology and rethink my phone use.
Courtesy of Sydney Wilson
SINCE 1944
We can do better
OPINIONS
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Justine Trempe Copy Editor
As I was taking a walk a few weeks ago, I saw a beer can lying in a tree hollow. Only a few months earlier, last fall, someone had planted a beautiful purple flower there. The contrast shocked me, so I interrupted my walk to throw the can away, saddened at the lack of respect. But I rapidly shoved the event in the back of my mind, along with trashed houses and high people peeing on my professor’s lawn after a night at the Gait. However, during Easter weekend, I once again came across lawns full of beer cans and cigarette butts. The porch of a house in Little Forks was packed with laughing people, apparently with no health-safety measures whatsoever. The Bishop’s party culture creates an overwhelming lack of respect for the rest of the Lennoxville community and for the town, which has not stopped with the threat of the pandemic. To quote former editor-in-chief John Greenhow in his retelling of Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” (a dystopian short story hidden under the promise of a utopian community): “Here in Lennoxville, [students] know, they will be able to drink until they can’t, mate passionately on the dancefloor of any bar, and—above all else—never be held accountable for their actions.” Former student Guenevere MacDonald also wrote in a 2016 article: “School spirit is often used as a reason to excuse away behaviour that would be frowned on in civil society. At Bishop’s, it has become an acceptable defence for an endless list of infractions and less than exemplary behaviour.” Little seems to have changed since they wrote these words many years ago. In the past few months, Lennoxville got more COVID-related tickets than any other Sherbrooke borough: Sherbrooke’s Public Safety Committee President Danielle Berthold told The Record that, out of 97 infractions given in Sherbrooke between Feb. 22 and March 1, 35 of them were given to Bishop’s
students, who still do not seem to care. As Greenhow explained it, “Bishop’s is a place of joy and a place of fun, and one thing there is none of is guilt.” I don’t mind some drinking and partying. We are young; we can enjoy it. But we should not forget to respect the people in this community who don’t come from money, who have to work part-time jobs to make ends meet, who need their sleep to get good grades, who do not have the luxury of avoiding the effects of the pandemic, and who can’t afford to party their 20s away. Even before COVID, I cannot recall how many times I had to knock on a neighbour’s door to tell them to turn the music down in the middle of the night or how often I had to pinch my nose while passing Animal House on my way to class so I wouldn’t have to smell the waves of day-old alcohol and trash soaking the grass. In short, it negatively affects the day-to-day life of students who wish to academically perform and live in a clean and productive environment: “Bishop’s best and brightest is selected to suffer, silent and alone, so that the rest may thrive in luxury,” said Greenhow in his dystopian metaphor. The party environment also creates a plethora of consequences in the community. Landlords in Lennoxville are hesitant to put money into their buildings as they know the floors will be ruined with alcohol, the doors forced, and walls scratched. Students then have to face a shortage of affordable housing of good quality. A purple flower planted in a tree hollow on Connolly Street, Let’s not even get into how this overall encouragement Lennoxville. to party fosters rape culture, toxic behaviours, and often Courtesy of Justine Trempe negatively impacts mental health in the long run. We’d be here all day. I love Bishop’s, and I love its community. But I’m tired of avoiding its ugly side. I believe that we can do better. Can we?
Secularist nation misses the point on autonomy As of April 11, 2021, France has officially banned the wearing of religious head coverings, including the burqa, hijab, and yarmulke, under the guise of secularism. As a secular nation, France has deemed that the wearing and promotion of religious symbols are to be prohibited, joining the ranks of other secular nations (or provinces) such as Quebec and Sweden among others who have also banned religious symbols. At first glance, this might seem like a neutral stance towards religion: the wearing of a crucifix is also prohibited, for example. But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that this new law is just a facade for the anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and overt misogyny running rampant in France. The banning of the hijab and other Islamic head coverings is the main focus of this bill, with parents waging war on teachers who wear the veil under a battle flag of protecting impressionable students from the so-called misogynistic values of wearing the hijab. And yet, no such war has been waged against Christian nuns, who remain permitted to wear the habit, a similar garb to the hijab which covers the hair in order to promote modesty and devotion to God. The argument against the alleged suppression of women which the hijab promotes also quickly falls through under the slightest examination: one cannot argue for the promotion of the autonomy of women while simultaneously interfering directly with the autonomy of women. It is one of the most revered laws in Islam
Bridget Boucher Arts & Culture Editor
(in Western countries, at least) that the wearing of the hijab and other head coverings is a choice. It is up to the woman whether she wants to wear such a veil. By banning the wearing of this veil under the masthead that the veil promotes the subservience of women, one ignores the autonomy of the woman in question. France, in theory, tries to “liberate” women, but it actually takes their freedom away by stripping them of the choice to wear the veil. One might also recall just a few years ago when Quebec banned face coverings in 2017 under the guise of religious neutrality, including prohibiting the wearing of religious headscarves such as the hijab, while simultaneously lobbying for public Catholic schools to remain open with the support of the taxpayer’s dollars, regardless of whether said taxpayer is Catholic or not. How is that for religious neutrality? The arguments against face coverings in the past have included that wearing one makes it hard to verify one’s identity. This argument becomes moot in the age of COVID-19, where everyone wears a face mask, and yet there have been no remarkable upticks in cases of fraudulent identity. As such, this new law passing in France banning the wearing of religious veils really boils down to one point: France does not care about the liberation of women, but rather promotes the stripping of women’s autonomy in support of their deeply rooted Islamophobia.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_France
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FEATURES
THE CAMPUS APRIL 13, 2021
Jeremy Audet, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com
Spring cleaning with BU Outdoors Club
Courtesy of Theresa Graham
On the morning of Saturday, March 27, you may have noticed a few people ambling around the streets and parks of Lennoxville’s student village, gloves on hands, garbage bag in one. The Bishop’s Outdoors Club organized a typical “Spring Cleanup” event, encouraging people to pick up litter and trash around the area that was scattered in the streets and green areas. With the melting snow, the winter garbage emerged from hibernation, and suddenly, like every spring, plastic bags, old McDonald’s containers, broken glass, and even a box of a new TV set littered the ground around every corner. But the problem does not stem solely from irresponsible passersby who discard their disposable materials freely. Walking around Lennoxville’s student village at any point during the year, one would notice that
many of the dumpsters and common garbage bins are overflowing. Anika Malone, BU Outdoors club lead, says that “half the garbage we picked up is right outside of dumpsters. We’re not getting trash picked up enough, not regularly enough. The trash flies out of dumpsters.” Owen Baker, BUFF-nominated director and published photographer, is the photographer and director of marketing for the club. He echoes these complaints: “A lot of dumpsters are already full to the brim. They don’t get picked up enough.” Georgia LaPierre, a member of the club who participated in the cleanup, argues that students could definitely do a better job at keeping their neighbourhoods clean: “It gets significantly worse when people drink outside and the weather gets nicer. People have been super careless about the garbage around, and it’s gotten worse this year because of COVID. We’ve had no other option than to see each other outside. There are tons of masks around; people aren’t being conscious of the garbage they are using, and they’re not disposing of it properly.” Still, LaPierre recognizes that the city does not empty the bins enough: “It’s on the individual to be more conscious about their garbage consumption, but the garbage is blowing out of the bins right outside of people’s houses. If the city picked up our garbage more often, there’d be less garbage. A lot of the garbage we picked up was household litter that people put in their bins; it’s not their fault that the bins are full.”
Making mead with Bishop’s Bees This past year has certainly changed student life. Without being able to meet in person, clubs and societies have had to get creative in order to keep club involvement steady. It is great to say that Bishop’s students have not been lacking in creativity. An example of student initiative and adaptability can be seen in the meadmaking workshop hosted by Bishop’s Bees. Yes, you heard right: the club Bishop’s Bees hosted a mead-making workshop entirely online. Although it may sound like a recipe for disaster, it actually turned out to be a really good drink. The club essentially organized small mead kits that included a mason jar, a custom lid and stopper, and champagne yeast. Each kit cost $10, covering the workshop and material costs. Students were only asked to supply some honey (which they could also purchase from Bishop’s Bees).
Jeremy Audet Features Editor
By Virginia Rufina Marquez-Pacheco Science & Technology Contributor
Armed with all the required ingredients at home, students were ready to begin. During the video call, the leads and a member with experience in mead-making first gave a short, but very interesting, introductory presentation on this ancient drink. Then, the main event followed a step-by-step process to making mead. It was like watching a live cooking show. The recipe was roughly as follows: 1. Pour honey into the mason jar 2. Boil water 3. Pour the water in the mason jar and dissolve the honey 4. Wait for it to cool to room temperature 5. Rehydrate the champagne yeast for five minutes 6. Add the rehydrated champagne yeast to the honey water along with three raisins
All eyes on the SAFS Club
Then, there’s the issue of composting. Most homes in the student neighbourhood do not have composting bins, either because the landlord does not want to implement it or because the city would not pick up the bins. “There’s no composting here. We tried to petition our landlord last semester, but he says every time they’ve tried composting the students don’t take care of it. A solution would just be a centralized composting bin. It can be done by the town, even in Square Queen. People would definitely do it,” says Malone. As club lead, Malone was thrilled with the turnout. “It was so good. We never know what to expect with COVID, and this was a less organized event. But we saw a lot of new faces and we ended up with about 40 bags.” For her, the bigger solution requires a change in lifestyle. “At the core of everything, picking up garbage all boils down to the fact that we need to have less trash. We picked up 40 bags of trash, but it’s only going to another landfill. How can we reduce that from the get-go?” Malone says her apartment has been focused on reducing waste in recent months, recycling and composting on their own terms instead, and as a result, they haven’t needed to take the trash out in three months. Owen Baker argued that picking up trash wasn’t hard at all, even enjoyable, and should be done more often: “It should definitely be a thing that we do more often, not just after the spring. It’s always a good time to pick up garbage without organizing it. It would be a good activity which just makes you feel productive. Everybody’s benefiting from it.”
7. Add the custom lid and place the stopper on it 8. Place it in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight 9. Wait… For how long? Fermentation usually takes around 4-6 weeks. This means that it’ll soon be time to check on what has, hopefully, become mead. From the perspective of a student who had never fermented anything before, this workshop was a great introduction and was easy to follow. It was also a lot of fun. I have been waiting excitedly as I watched my yeast turn the sugar into alcohol. The Bees have provided a light in these trying times for the students who participated in the workshop. Hopefully, this can be repeated next semester as well—perhaps even in person!
A jar of fermenting mead. Courtesy of Virginia Rufina Marquez-Pacheco
Manu Bissonnette Contributor
On Friday, March 19, almost 200 people united at the Cégep de Sherbrooke to protest climate change and political inaction. The protest was held as part of the Fridays for Future movement initiated in 2018 by then 15-year-old Greta Thunberg. Here at Bishop’s, the responsibility of its promotion fell to the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (SAFS) Club, one of Bishop’s newest and most underrated clubs. As the main promoters of the protest at Bishop’s, the SAFS Club participated in organizational meetings, represented Bishop’s University and its student body at the table, and helped prepare informative content for outreach. They also attended the strike on March 19 to show their support to the cause. The SAFS Club was founded in early 2020 by Karina Kramer, an Environmental Studies student who is now one of its three co-leads, along with Sara Watson (Neuroscience) and John Noble (Environmental Science). The club was created as an extension of the new Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program, established in 2019 by the
Department of Environment and Geography at Bishop’s. As Kramer explains it, the club “was started […] to resemble this program and provide students with engaging, educational, and interactive activities that relate to sustainable agriculture.” In addition to providing hands-on learning to SAFS students, the SAFS Club also takes upon as its mission to “spread awareness […] to students who otherwise wouldn’t know about [sustainable agriculture],” says Noble. The SAFS Club is currently undertaking the Maple Syrup Project, for which it is leading a small production of maple syrup directly at Bishop’s Educational Farm, “a place to learn creative solutions to sustainability challenges in food systems.” Located in the woods at a walking distance from Bishop’s, the farm contains tapped maple trees from which the SAFS Club collects sap that they will then transform into syrup. As the SAFS Club’s main project, members and co-leads of the club currently go to the farm multiple times a week to continue the production process.
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In the short time that the club has been operational, it has already hosted a documentary screening, produced social media content to raise awareness about sustainable agriculture, and participated in the organization of Eco Week events, as well as promoting the recent climate strike. In the future, Noble says that the club will “support and provide outreach for different projects that the farm undertakes.” Some examples include setting up a new garden and seeing to its tending. When asked why students should join the club, Watson answered that “if they want to […] get some more hands-on learning on activities related to sustainable agriculture, or if they’re not in the SAFS program and they are just kind of curious about the more
Convocation for the class of 2021 When we sing along to the school song, we never seem to linger too long on the lyrics. We heartily chant that “we will never graduate,” believing that to mean that we would never leave the Bishop’s bubble. For the past two years, the reality of that line has been that the graduating classes would have no convocation, leaving Bishop’s unceremoniously without getting to “graduate.” That thought is not a comfortable one to reckon with. Walking across the stage in a cap and gown to pick up your diploma and shake the principal’s hand with all of your peers watching feels like the culmination of the years of effort put into earning the degree. Graduating student María Clavelli says: “It definitely feels strange to know that we’re going to have a non-conventional convocation in a non-conventional time, but I do feel luckier than the class of 2020 who had little to no closure to their university experience.” It’s true that the class of 2021 is luckier than their predecessors: we, at least, have a clearer hope of convocation. Convocation was originally set for June 5, 2021, but with COVID case numbers still heavily fluctuating and the end of the pandemic not yet in sight, the tentative date was pushed back to late August. Clavelli agrees with this decision, saying: “It was a reasonable choice to make. It’s better to give us the expectation that it isn’t going to happen in June like it usually does rather than to have us excitedly wait until June 5 and then pushing it back. My parents have asked me multiple times when they should make plans to come up to Canada for the ceremony, but I have already come to terms with the fact that I’ll just have to send them the Zoom link.”
hands-on aspect of it, it would be a good place to meet some like-minded people.” Noble summarized the club as “a good place to get some hands-on activities […] and learn some new skills.” As one of Bishop’s newest clubs, the SAFS Club is a very active organization that is open to students of all backgrounds who show some curiosity for sustainable agriculture. Mixing fun activities and open-minded people, the SAFS Club is a great way to learn more about a growing and interesting field of expertise while having fun. Check out their Instagram page @bu_safsclub and watch out for the next meeting!
Casey Hebert Senior Copy Editor
Though students are holding out hope for an August convocation ceremony, Clavelli brings up some issues with the recently proposed alternative: “Many students going on to their masters will have already started classes,
Graphic by Leea Rebeca Ruta
and some people with jobs might not be able to get away. Having convocation so late in August is a little inconvenient for those of us who might have something else going on.
I also see the struggle for international students who are leaving Canada definitely and would have to come back four months later for their graduation.” With the looming uncertainty of how the pandemic will unfold, especially given the shifting vaccination schedules, even the August graduation ceremony is no guarantee. An idea had been suggested to host graduation for the classes of 2020 and 2021 in September, the week after Homecoming. The reasoning had been that by September, more people are likely to have been vaccinated. Additionally, if students are coming in from further afield for Homecoming, it might be more reasonable for them to stay an extra week for their convocation than it would be for them to fly in on two separate occasions. Students like that idea as well. Clavelli explains: “I would prefer a Homecoming graduation. The whole idea of inviting alumni back on campus, their home, really compliments convocation, and if it were a joint graduation [between the classes of 2020 and 2021], it would be nice to experience that moment of homecoming and goodbye with friends from the class of 2020 and those who haven’t graduated yet.” Not to mention the parties would be like something we’ve never seen before! Over the past year, students have had to make many concessions to their university experience and relegate most events to the virtual realm, so it would be a relief to get an in-person goodbye after the years spent at Bishop’s. Regardless of how convocation unfolds, one thing is sure: BU has not seen the last of the class of 2021.
Norman Webster: Oxford man, Bishop’s man, inspiring man Norman Webster is widely recognized as the former editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail and the Montreal Gazette; yet he is also the former editor-in-chief of another newspaper: The Campus. Webster’s book Newspapering , published in 2020, highlights how his experience at Bishop’s impacted him. And, after conversations with Norman Webster; his dear friend and hockey partner, Principal Goldbloom; his son Professor David Webster; and his wife Pat Webster, it is evident that this man is an inspirational alumnus of our university. Norman Webster’s remarkable career can be traced back to this very newspaper. Bishop’s was different when Webster was running The Campus. For one, students were obligated to wear long, black gowns to their classes, a rule that did not sit well with Webster. In fact, he wrote an editorial in the paper opposing the gown, believing they made the students “look like penguins, stuffy and old before [their] time,” as highlighted in his book Newspapering. But many of his fellow students passionately disagreed with this view. They thought that the gowns “added a touch of class to the place.” They wrote “stinging letters” and “hissed” at him in the hallways, turning his editorial into “the sharpest possible lesson in humility to a young journalist.” On another occasion, one of Webster’s columnists criticized the university
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administration for helping to pollute the St. Francis River. Ogden Glass, the principal of Bishop’s at the time, “went ballistic—white-faced, barking, fairly dancing with rage.” These lessons in humility stuck with Webster. According to Goldbloom, humility was a defining characteristic of Webster’s writing: he took the situations upon which he reported seriously, yet he never took himself seriously. He could criticize without using the vicious tone that is particularly present on social media and TV journalism. This, along with Webster’s ability to discern the essence of noisy situations, is what Goldbloom believes made him exceptional. Webster and Goldbloom met at the Montreal Gazette. Webster had stepped down from being the paper’s editor-in-chief and began writing for it as a columnist. Meanwhile, Goldbloom became the paper’s publisher. Although Goldbloom is reluctant to characterize Webster as a mentor per se, he did recognize that Webster was one of the few people with whom he had confidence speaking about the Gazette or matters of Quebec politics— Goldbloom was publisher during the tumultuous period in Quebec history surrounding the 1995 referendum. Webster was also one of the few people that Goldbloom spoke to when, over a decade ago, the opportunity arose for him to become the principal of our university. Webster,
Hugh Godman Editor-in-Chief
a current resident of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, loves the Eastern Townships. And he, an Oxford alumnus who attended on a Rhodes Scholarship, has been known to refer to Bishop’s as “Oxford on the Massawippi.” Of course, he told Principal Goldbloom that he should take the opportunity. This conversation did not in itself persuade Goldbloom to become principal, but Webster did have an influential voice on the matter. Norman Webster’s son Dr. David Webster of BU’s History and Global Studies Department highlighted something else about his father: he was willing to break the rules. Dr. Webster described a time when his father was covering a conference in Montreal with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The prime minister had slipped in a request for his comments to be off the record, but Norman Webster chose to follow his conscience and report on what he believed the public had the right to know. He took some heat from the Prime Minister, but he was ready for it. As described in Newspapering , Webster has “been denounced by prime ministers, premiers, cabinet ministers and great captains of industry,” yet none of these denunciations were as intimidating as the scolding he received from his principal, Ogden Glass, on our very campus.
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ARTS & CULTURE
THE CAMPUS APRIL 13, 2021
Bridget Boucher, Arts & Culture Editor » thecampus.ac@gmail.com
Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival Bridget Boucher Arts & Culture Editor
Do you consider yourself to be a literary buff? Interested in listening to keynote speeches from authors around the globe? Check out the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival from Saturday, April 24, to Sunday, May 2! This year the festival will be running online due to the pandemic. Per publicist Janis Kirshner: “Online and Courtesy of Janis Kirshner. later outdoors, more than 50 eclectic events with 200 artists will delight eyes and minds around the theme, ‘The Challenges of Our Times.’ Free multilingual events in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic take the form of captivating panels, debates, and interviews.” Executive and Artistic Director William St-Hillaire says of the event, “This very special edition of the festival is presented during a pandemic which isn’t letting up, but which has not got[ten] the better of our great energy and our endless will.” “When literature rhymes with pleasure, literacy with discovery, and books with hooked (sort of), you know Blue Metropolis is about to start,” says Kirshner. Check out the full programming at bluemetropolis.org/2021festival/.
The groovy Gaiter summer playlist It’s officially exam season and the temperature has reached double digits (on some days, at least), so we all know what that means: summer is almost here! And while you’re whiling away your days at the pool, missing your adventures at Bishop’s, you can put on this playlist and pretend you’re floating down the Massawippi. “Peach Pit” Peach Pit “Cocaine Jesus” Rainbow Kitten Surprise “Common People” - Pulp “Perfect Places” Lorde “8TEEN” Khalid “San Francisco” The Mowglis “Tongue Tied” Grouplove “Electric Love” BØRNS “Anna Sun” Walk the Moon “Vacation Town” The Front Bottoms “3 Nights” Dominic Fike “Talk Too Much” COIN “Cake by the Ocean” DNCE “Pink Lemonade” The Wombats “Are You Bored Yet?” Wallows ft. Clairo “I Wanna Get Better” Bleachers “Hard Times” Paramore “Animal” Neon Trees “Raspberry” Grouplove “Watermelon Sugar” Harry Styles “Cough Syrup” Young the Giant “What You Know” Two Door Cinema Club “Out of My League” Fitz and The Tantrums “Magic in the Hamptons” Social House “Sucker” Jonas Brothers
Illustration courtesy of Bridget Boucher
Queer Canadian author releases debut YA novel Elizabeth Menzie, born and raised in Saskatchewan, has released her debut novel, Northern Lights: The Druid of Black Lake. The YA romance, released on March 21, 2021, focuses on Charlotte Gillies, a young werewolf who has recently and reluctantly reached the age at which she is required by tradition to find her mate at the Mating Exhibition of the Central Prairie Territory, held in Brandon, Manitoba. Romance and drama ensue when Charlotte, at last, meets her mate, Clark Duffy, and soon discovers that everything is not what it seems in his home of Black Lake. “I enjoy stories and novels with strong female leads that are relatable,” says Menzie from her home in Wynyard, Saskatchewan, where she lives with her wife Leanne and their cat Ellie. “I created Charlotte Gillies as such an individual.” Menzie says that she has “enjoyed writing fiction since [she] was about twelve years old, storytelling before [she] Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Menzie could even read.” The novel is dedicated to her father, Darryl Senecal, whom Menzie says taught her “that the greatest gift we possess is our imagination.” Charlotte’s love interest Clark was created to “reflect a man who displays non-toxic masculinity” as “abuse, violence, and neglect are heavily prevalent in the fantasy genre of fiction,” and Menzie wanted “to buck those norms.” Northern Lights is the first of a series, and you can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or at Indigo.
Bridget Boucher Arts & Culture Editor
Bridget Boucher Arts & Culture Editor
Illustration by Leea Rebeca Ruta
ARTS & CULTURE
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The Story of Belle
Safia Hafid Opinions Editor
There is a longing, simmering and waiting to burst Borne from the words on a page, from the words of those around Books gifting me wings–villagers shackling me with chains Oh, that I wish, when I look at the grass and the hills and the bluebell sky That I could have more than this; More than the clucks of chickens and the simpering calls and the growling, possessive commands More than this village, more than this cage, more than this prison, More than this provincial life. Yet this I did not know, that this provincial life brings safety Of a kind Now there is none The wind howls in tandem to the gnashing wolves Branches like creeping vines, twisting and snatching and hurting The snow traps and slows and blinds Yet another prison, another cage, an enchanted castle Now a haunted home for eternity– My captor that imprisons, that takes, that chases; Heart heavy, mind numb, a single thought crystalizes Escape.
I cry and I scream–I protest, I plead, I beg Yet no-one listens All they do is assume and take and destroy There is terror that consumes me, that worsens with every step and every cry “Kill the Beast!” they roar, with torches that burn and pitchforks that slash, The blinding, pouring storm echoing the turmoil and fear within, That they will destroy, kill All that they do not understand–a woman who loves books and a Beast that is kind. For so long there has been fear, uncertainty Now grief Yet as the rain lashes at the ramparts, soaking hems, Yet as the ray of light diminishes, and those tender words are uttered I finally breathe, shuddering cries– Relief Now, my arms around him, the castle restored The story can finally begin; There will be dresses and chandeliers and polished floors–later For the moment, there is just us, love and kindness and beauty that has triumphed.
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SPORTS
THE CAMPUS APRIL 13, 2021
David Rossiter, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com
Annual Congress of Sports Studies The Congress of Sports Studies is back this year on Wednesday, April 21, with inspiring speakers, interesting presentations, and an exciting new online platform. The congress is an opportunity for upper-year Sports Studies students, students in other disciplines, alumni, and other academics to present a poster on a sports topic. Topics could include Olympic weightlifting, substances to improve performance, the impact of physical activity on mental health, injury recovery techniques, and more. The event will kick off at 10:30 a.m. with the keynote speaker Dr. Ann Pegoraro, the Lang Chair in Sport Management at the University of Guelph. Next, there will be twotime slots for poster presentations followed by an alumni panel. This year’s panellists are Ben McPherson, a strength and conditioning specialist who works with Dylan Cozens; Naomi James, former Bishop’s University basketball player who now works as a mental performance consultant; Simon Gordon, the NBA’s Senior Manager of Marketing Partnerships and Media; and Maddie Hession, the founder and CEO of Runway
Pascale Desmarais Contributor
Unlimited Inc., who helps develop aspiring models and entrepreneurs. The event will end with casual networking time where students, professors, alumni, and other attendees will be able to interact. A large part of the annual affair is the poster presentations by graduating students in the Sports Studies Department. These posters represent a final project, a thesis of sorts, by the students. Younger students from the department always attend the presentations to support their older friends or to discover what sports in academia looks like. In the past, the congress has had the poster presentations in the lobby of Centennial Theatre and speakers presenting on the theatre stage. This year, it will be hosted virtually on Remo, an interactive online conferencing tool. The student organizing committee is excited about this platform, as it will allow for similar interactions as the in-person event. To find out more about the event, check out The Congress of Sports Studies event page on Facebook. The committee hopes to see you there!
Source: BU Sports Studies Department’s Facebook page
Late season expectations for the Montreal Canadiens As the National Hockey League’s COVID-shortened 56-game season winds down, we are going to take a look at what Quebec’s team, the Montreal Canadiens, can expect as far as postseason success. Starting the year on fire, the Habs were atop the league a few weeks in. A tough slump through February resulted in the team dropping in the standings, as well as the firing of Head Coach Claude Julien. Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme has done a good job of revitalizing the Canadiens, and they are currently in the playoff position. Analyzing the numbers, Montreal is most likely to land in the fourth and final playoff position in the new allCanadian “North” division. This means that as a low seed, the Habs will face a strong, high-seeded team in the playoffs. Due to COVID, the first two rounds of playoffs will feature the top four teams in each division facing one another. The best regular season team in Canada is still to be decided but it will be between the Edmonton Oilers, the Winnipeg Jets, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the Leafs currently on top and playing better than ever, the most likely firstround playoff matchup for Montreal will be their century-old rival, Toronto. Wow. This series would be entertaining not only because of the rivalry and competitiveness between the two squads but also because it should be rather close. So far this year, the Leafs have gotten the better of the Habs with Montreal only winning one of the five contests between the teams. However, each game has been extremely close, with all but one of them being decided by a single goal.
David Rossiter Sports Editor
Auston Matthews has been arguably the top goal scorer in the league this year, and he has made the Maple Leafs’ power play nearly unstoppable. Montreal’s special teams have improved since the firing of Julien, but still have a ways to go if they want to nullify this aspect of Toronto’s game. Some new lineup changes may very well be the spark that gives Montreal an edge over Toronto. General Manager Marc Bergevin has been known to make bold trades during his nine-year tenure with the Canadiens, and this year was no different. In early April, Bergevin managed to snag veteran forward Eric Staal from the fledgling Buffalo Sabres. In his first game in the bleu-blanc-et-rouge, Staal stunned with an epic overtime winner vs. Edmonton. At the time of writing, Staal has not yet played versus Toronto, so the Leafs will have to account for them in their game plan. Contrasting with the acquisition of 36-year-old Staal, the Habs’ other big late-season addition is joining them since his college season just ended. 2018 first-round draft pick Cole Caufield has been lighting the NCAA on fire in 2021. A member of the Wisconsin Badgers, Caulfield has signed a contract with the Canadiens and at the time of writing has not yet played with the Canadiens, but he is expected to any day now. Exciting. While the Canadiens have had ups and downs throughout this unusual season, their ceiling is still quite high. Get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and anything can happen, as we’ve all seen before. Whether or not they play Toronto in round one, there is excitement around the current roster and their capabilities.
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Thank you, seniors
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David Rossiter Sports Editor
As this goes to print, members of the Bishop’s University class of 2021 have just undergone their Grad Formal and now have convocation on the horizon. The Campus has reported on the difficulties of student-athletes watching their last seasons slip away due to COVID. So today let’s stay positive, congratulate seniors for what they’ve done in purple and silver, and wish them well in the future. Thank you, seniors!
Courtesy of Marty Rourke
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ECONOMICS & BUSINESS
THE CAMPUS APRIL 13, 2021
Samy Cauvet, Economics & Business Editor » thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com
A piece of advice I wish I had gotten before I graduated As Academic Advisor and Career Counsellor, we often meet students who, at the end of their studies, wonder what to do after their undergraduate program. Most would ask us: “Should I do a master’s degree, a Certification, get an MBA, or start working right away?” The answer to that is simple: there are no right or wrong choices regarding your professional career. “We are not looking for perfection; we are looking for progression,” once said a yoga teacher named Chris Chavez. With the multitude of choices you’re presented with at the end of your studies, such as a job offer, a specialized master’s degree, a break, a backpacking trip with friends, or a startup idea, it is possible to feel a bit dizzy. Here are four simple steps to help you make up your mind about what you want your future to be like.
Define your career objectives. Looking at job postings, you will see what is required for the position you would like to do in the future. It will give you a good idea of the next step to take. After navigating the demands of the job market, with the help of networking platforms such as LinkedIn or Ten Thousand Coffees, you can follow professionals in your field of study and view their backgrounds. What positions have they held in the past? What diplomas or certifications have they completed? Did they complete these programs after graduation or part-time while working? Did their employers offer them specific training? This information will help you decide whether to continue your studies after your undergraduate degree or not.
Know yourself. Now is the time to evaluate your needs, interests, values, and professional goals. Do you have an interest in research? Are you looking to acquire more knowledge on a specific topic of interest, or would you rather consolidate the knowledge you have already acquired and focus on gaining relevant work experience?
Discover your academic options. Universities are constantly creating new graduate programs to adapt to students’ needs and to the ever-changing labour market. Therefore, we encourage you to take the time to explore the different graduate programs that exist in your field of interest. You will discover that some programs or universities are more research-oriented, while others focus more on experiential learning opportunities. You will also discover that there are many graduate certificates that can provide skills and knowledge you want to acquire in a shorter amount of time. For some professional
Have a good knowledge of the job market. Before even looking at the promotional brochures of master’s programs, it is important to know the current demand situation in the job market.
Pizza mania in Lennoxville
Marlene Canuel, c.o. Coop & Academic Advisor Nathaniele Pelletier, c.o. Career Counsellor
roles, it is more advantageous to do a specific master’s degree. For example, a master’s degree, or a program leading to a title, such as CPA or CFA, could allow you to seek more advanced and specific knowledge which will be requested by employers. Faced with the huge flow of information about possible programs, you may feel overwhelmed and confused. Therefore, if you start with a self-reflection and a good research of the market requirements, evaluating programs becomes easier and less stressful. Bear in mind that there is no right or wrong decision, since this is a journey and you will learn from every experience whether you decide to pursue graduate studies, start your career right away, or open your own business. Furthermore, remember that nothing is set in stone. You can decide to work right away and then, once you have gained experience or know more specifically what career you want to pursue, come back to school to do a graduate degree.
Samy Cauvet Economics & Business Editor
At a time when restaurants such as Pizzaville are shutting down in response to the In the back store kitchen—“the production facility”—up to three hundred pizza dough pandemic restrictions driving restaurants’ profit margins down, a new business just mix packs are produced daily. Those freshly made goods are then ready for sale whether it opened up in Lennoxville at the end of March called “Brad’s Gourmet” (Gourmet de is in-store or online through their newly updated website (bradsgourmet.com). However, Brad). their product offering is not limited to the pizza dough mix. This business is a one-stop This exciting new place to visit, located at 127 Queen Street in Lennoxville, was founded shop where you get to buy anything you need to make your own pizza such as toppings, by Jessica, a soon-to-be graduate from Bishop’s utensils, aprons, and so on. Brad’s Gourmet prides University, and her dad Brad. itself on getting its products from suppliers within The whole business idea took shape after Brad’s the province of Quebec. previous position was terminated because of On top of being a B2C, selling its products directly COVID-19. In November 2020, they took advantage to customers, the business also follows a B2B of a new governmental program called STA (Soutien model by partnering with local businesses such as au Travail Autonome), which aims to provide select Lennoxville Provigo, CVA (Centre de Valorisation de Quebec entrepreneurs with advice and assistance l’Aliment), and the corner store in Sherbrooke called to facilitate the deployment of their business for “Coin d’Italie.” the first two years. On Dec. 1, they presented their The strength of his business strategy lies in the business idea in a Zoom meeting to Pro-Gestion following idea: “It takes three minutes to prepare Estrie committee members. On Feb. 9, 2021, their [the pizza dough] with two additional ingredients, business plan was accepted and, from there, they oil and water, and one hour to rise.” Someone who rushed to gather the funds from people that they would like to make their own pizza would usually had previously approached to support their startgo buy some frozen pizza dough at a convenience up such as family and friends—also known as “love store and let it thaw out which takes time. However, money.” “It all [moved] really fast,” Brad told The thanks to Brad’s pizza dough mix, the customer buys Record newspaper in a phone interview. freshly made ready-to-use pizza dough mix from Brad’s Gourmet doesn’t fit into any business which you can smell the yeast when you cook it. category. It is a mix between an épicerie, an That sounds very attractive, doesn’t it? artisanal manufacture, and a hub for pizza lovers. At least, I was not the only curious one around “It’s not a [pizza] restaurant. [Brad’s Gourmet is] Lennoxville. Indeed, Brad’s Gourmet has had an not competing with Jerry’s [Pizzeria], which is right average of thirty customers coming to the store across the street,” Brad mentioned to The Record. on a daily after being open for only a week. Brad, a They are targeting a different market which consists graphic designer, conceptualized and produced his of people who are interested in making satisfying own packaging, business logo, and brochures, as homemade pizza. Indeed, the business model well as the interior decoration of the store for which revolves mainly around the sale of pizza dough he got extra help from his wife who studied interior mixes freshly made on-site in the back kitchen by decoration. Brad, who developed his own recipe over the years. In future, Brad’s Gourmet will be looking at Six different mixes are offered to respect everyone’s banking solutions to increase operating margins dietary restrictions (Original, Whole Wheat, and plans on hosting pizza workshops for kids and Traditional Italian, Organic, Rice Flour Blend, Keto families when COVID-19 regulations allow it. & Paleo). Photo courtesy of Samy Cauvet
