T16-29370-VPAA-Cover-Concordia Magazine Winter 2016.indd 1 2016-02-02 2:44 PM NEW REALITIES very valuable. It’s tough because the em- program,” he says. “They are more in- Onetime editor-in-chief of Concordia ployers with the biggest newsrooms are trepid about their futures in journalism. student newspaper The Link, LOOKINGWolfe went cutting. At BuzzFeed AT Canada THE we have This is also a generation that has always on to become a digital designer with the a very small newsroom. But if you are had the internet, consumed the inter- FUTUREToronto Star and then interactive OF editor JOURNALISMdead set on becoming a journalist, you net, so they have witnessed all these cuts with The Globe and Mail before being really need to work your butt off and and layoffs in the industry and they’re hired by The Wall Street Journal in 2015. distinguish yourself.” still going into journalism.” She remains mainly upbeat about job He is also upbeat about the job pros- Concordiaprospects for journalism Department students. STRONG of PROSPECTSJournalism pects for his journalism students: “In “It depends on who I am talking to,” “There are more people and organizations 2015 I had more people approach me facultyWolfe says. “If they and want to learnalumni how doingweigh journalism innow inon Canada the than about job openings and I can say that a to code, their prospects are very good. there were 15 years ago, but a lot of year ago that would not have been true. It’s much harder otherwise: I look at organizations are small and new and Whether that means there is some shift JULIA WOLFE, SEEN PLAYING WITH AN OCULUS shifting media realities. RIFT, IS THE WALL STREET JOURNAL NEWS APP what my friends are going through in digital and they haven’t really built going on, I can’t say with any certainty. DEVELOPER. “A HEALTHY NEWS AND JOURNALISM CULTURE MAKE OUR SOCIETY STRONGER.” the more traditional route and it takes themselves up yet,” Silverman says. It just seems better to me.” much longer and more work. Right now “While I am concerned by the debt load 20 He points to the ongoing advantages at the Journal they have three more jobsBy Richardcarried by the legacy media,Burnett I am optimistic of journalism education. “When they go as news app developers they are still about the big transition going on.” out in the world, they may not become trying to fill and I don’t have anybody Silverman does anticipate some major journalists but they have another skill A LIFETIME IN ACADEMIA to recommend. Anybody I know who disruptions in the approaching period. set that is extremely valuable. They are does this job and is good at it is happy. “In the next five to 10 years we may very adept,” he says. If people want to do that kind of work, see the death and decay of some really That’s something that hasn’t changed there is lots of work.” strong traditional institutions,” he says. over the years. “When we were planning These six alumni are making great Chart the best course for your life in the years ahead. “I think millennials and those just “It’s still unclear who is going to win and WINTER 2016 our celebration for our 40th anniversary getting into the job market now are who is going to lose. We’ve been under- at Homecoming 2015, we went down the strides in their university careers. going to have to think about why they going this transition for about a decade, list of our graduates. I didn’t realize how are still interested in journalism, and and I think we still have another decade accomplished they are.” The long list A LIBRARYbe sure to pursue thatON wherever THE it ofMOVE a lot of change to go.” includes CTV Montreal News reporter By Isaac Olson leads,” Sonntag says. “The jobs that Is Sonntag worried about the downfall Caroline Van Vlaardingen, BA 84, Mark 26 they find and appeal to them most of journalism? “In the short term — let’s Kelley, BA 85, co-host of CBC’s the fifth may not be at what we consider to say the next 10 years — no. In the long estate, Jamie Orchard, BA 91, senior an- be newsMore organizations.” vital than ever,term, say 30 the to 40 years, I think jour- chor and news editor of Global News, nalism could be remarkably different. Jonah Keri, BA 97, New York Times best- Start with . “In the long term, I thinkR. Howard journalism couldWebster be Library’sWith artificial intelligence and other selling author and sports journalist, and preferred insurance rates algorithms, I think we are going to get Jennifer McGuire, GrDip 88, general remarkably different. With artificial intelligence and better and more curated results, and I 32 manager and editor-in-chief of other algorithms, I think we are going to getrenewal better matchesthink that is going to change the field of CBC News. journalism in interesting ways. I’m not “We are small compared to other pro- and more curated results.” students’ demands.saying that’s a good or a bad thing, other grams but we punch above our weight,” than we will have to adapt.” Gabrial says. “This little journalism Silverman — named one of the “most Gabrial, who was a TV newscast and program here in Quebec has produced 38 influential new-media figures of 2015” field producer for the ABC and NBC af- some really outstanding people over the by Toronto Life magazineBy —Joanne doesn’t filiatesLatimer in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., years, and we will continue to do so.” sugar-coat the facts either. “I think before earning a PhD and coming to the majority of students in journalism Concordia in 2004, sees some good —Richard Burnett, BA (journ.) 88, schools will not end up in journalism,” signs. “Journalism students today have is a Montreal freelance writer, editor Silverman says. “There are good skills an idea of whom they want to be. They and columnist. IRVING LAYTON you learn at journalism school — criti- are already establishing their identity DON’T BE cal thinking, how to write well, how to as journalists through their own web- do good research — and these are all sites before even graduating from the AWARD FOR CREATIVE WRITING: TOO OLD Supporting you... POETRY FOR THIS By Soili Smith, BA 15 A three year old once explained to me that he two happy people, zoom out: ghost. Too big a 24 | winter 2016 concordia university magazine REINVENTING concordia university magazine winter 2016 | 25 By Soili Smith wasn’t afraid of bees because they sting, but picture to get in one shot. God is so powerful, and Concordia University. THE LIBRARY because they make honey, and from what he says the pastor, he can make ghosts. understood from various storybooks, bears Take advantage of The R. Howard Webster FLIGHT MANAGEMENT IRVING seriously love honey, so it’s reasonable to Don’t worry, I am still getting younger, I Library undergoes a major transformation conclude that if one sees a bee, there is also have learned to fear the messengers. They SYSTEMS FOR ALL Making LAYTON potentially a bear nearby. He was afraid of are often innocent, literally bumbling, but your group privileges: Your needs will change as your life and bears you see, and bees insofar as they are the in the wake of their sweetness is a bear. The MAKING THE WORLD harbinger of them. first time he choked in front of me was in the Concordia Institute of Aerospace Design UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE AWARD food court in Pine Centre Mall. He opened his career evolve. As a Concordia University A BETTER PLACE A pastor once told me a story about a man who mouth loudly, and out poured a pillar of bees. and Innovation research will help the FOR was constantly bucked off by his donkey. Each Throats, I wonder, what’s the deal with those? * the world time the man would whip the donkey and get Never mind, read me a story; I am alone and You could save $415 graduate or student, you have access to airline industry reach new heights. Through their volunteerism or professional back on. Eventually the man fell down a cliff afraid of sleep. CREATIVE or something. Then lying there, dying, he lives, Concordians are bringing positive cursed God and asked why he didn’t send him I went to see the three year old recently. He’s some kind of sign. Then God spoke to the man ten now. He doesn’t remember what he told By Fiona Downey and CARING ALUMNI > JOURNALISM CROSSROADS > ACADEMIC LIVES WRITING: or more when you the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program, change to their surroundings. through the donkey, and said, I sent you this me about bees. He shot his first bear with his Marie-Christine Houle-Trépanier a better donkey. The pastor concluded by saying, see, Dad last summer. My boss shot a bear too. He POETRY 42 God’s so powerful he can make donkeys talk. brought me out to it. The bear was too small 40 (whoops!) and the gun too big, there was a which offers preferred insurance rates, By Sue Montgomery combine your home and ach year, Concordia’s DepartmentMeet of fiveEnglish hands out prizes for excellence in the It seems to me the difference between the hole that showed through to green grass where Estudies of English literature and creative writing. The Irving Layton Awards for Creative pastor and the three year old is smallness.