I had a bit of a rocky start to my time at STU. Most people have a “gap year,” or a few, before they start university. I decided to have mine after my second year. I had no idea what I was doing. I had a strong start in sociology, but enjoyed journalism through the classes I took with Phillip Lee and Mark Tunney. Despite this, in my first years at STU, I was too nervous to write for the Aquinian. These seemed like professional and serious people, an entire world away from m

I’ve never been the best at saying goodbye. I could write 2,000 words and still fall short of capturing my time as editor-in-chief of The Aquinian. In my opinion, no word in the dictionary could do justice to what this year’s AQ team accomplished. And that’s not an exaggeration, it’s a fact. Camaraderie. Joy. Passion. If someone asked me to sum up my time at The Aquinian in three words, those would be it. As my chapter in Fredericton, New Brunswick, comes to an end, I am bot

Stories: I have heard and repeated that word countless times throughout my life. The simplest definition that comes to mind is a narrative with a beginning, a middle and an end. But there is so much more to them. When I was younger, I thought I loved books. I could read more than five in a week and still be thirsty for more. I could be up all night and feel like I had lived millions of lives in a few hours. The magic was in believing that I could experience anything, ev

Tommie Charlee Connors holds up the design for her CCAA Women's Basketball Player of the Year ring. (Submitted: Charlee Connors) A member of the St. Thomas University (STU) women’s basketball team has been named the top player in the country for the first time. Fourth-year post Charlee Connors was awarded the 2026 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. “It’s definitely very surreal,” said Connors. “There’s obviously so many incredible

The Grad House is known to students, professors and loved ones in the Fredericton community. (Credit: Jennifer William) Before it was a bar, it was a home. Before it was a home, it belonged to a poet. 676 Windsor Street has been many things: a writer’s residence, a research centre and Windsor Castle. Today, most people just call it the “Grad House.” But whatever name you give it, the feeling inside stays the same, as if you’ve stumbled into somewhere you’re allowed to just be

Course registration is officially open and different programs at STU don't offer enough options to students. (Credit: STU communications) As students log in to STU's self-service to register for the coming year, many find themselves adding courses to their schedules that don’t interest them. Course registration for the 2026-27 academic year opened to students on March 17, giving them the chance to review and choose courses for the upcoming year. Ambar Vasquez, a second-year s

Maybe all we need is to put our goggles on, roll down the window and believe. (Credit: Malachi Lefurgey) We live in a world that has no magic. No unicorns, sorcerers, giants, talking animals (except that one bird) and no yellow brick road with a wizard who grants us wishes. We live in a world with taxes, parking tickets, exams, assignments, road rage, prisons and having seven pairs of the same colour of jeans in our closet. But, if we truly look for it, behind the grey cl

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

New Brunswick Finance Minister René Legacy presented the provincial budget on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward) New Brunswick’s record deficit is prompting changes to post-secondary education as the province freezes funding to universities, colleges and directs institutions to find internal savings that won’t be passed on to students. The 2026-27 provincial budget forecasts a $1.3 billion deficit, mainly due to increased health care and social ser

Canada warns of escalation risks as Middle East conflict widens. (Credit: Diego Ibarra Sanchez / NYT / Redux) Canada is warning that further escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, particularly a possible ground occupation of southern Lebanon, could have serious legal and geopolitical consequences. In recent joint statements with allies including France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, Canada urged restraint, warning that a wider war in the Middle East

Team Venezuela celebrates after their championship win over Team USA. (Credit: Getty Images) With the World Baseball Classic (WBC) coming to a close, there was a lot to talk about this year. Venezuela took home its first WBC championship, Italy emerged as a contender and drama surrounded the United States. This year really had it all. The Venezuelan team started off its historic run picking up three convincing wins against Israel, the Netherlands and Nicaragua. The last game

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

April Pyne's abstraction showcase. (Credit: Malachi Lefurgey) The 10-year-old Gallery on Queen is one of those galleries that aren't afraid to represent the unrepresented, showcasing art that says and means something. “That is my mandate,” said Nadia Khoury, owner of the gallery. On March 28, Khoury presented to the city of Fredericton “In Conversation,” a celebration of Black art. “Black artists and history are not just February, we need to celebrate ... but the rest of

Both the men's and women's Tommies basketball teams celebrate their ACAA championship wins. (Credit: STU Athletics) On March 8, the St. Thomas University (STU) Tommies women’s and men’s basketball teams each claimed an Atlantic Collegiate Athletics Association (ACAA) championship at the A. Garnet Brown Memorial Gymnasium. The women defeated the Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) Mystics 63-46, the men following with a 91-73 win over the same opponent hours later. The wome

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

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

Julia Reid-Howell makes her world record attempt at the Base Gagetown Fitness Facility. (Submitted: Julia Reid-Howell) A local Fredericton middle school art teacher and avid runner may have just broken the world record for fastest female 1 km run while pushing a stroller. With her 17-month-old daughter Winnie sitting in front of her, Julia Reid-Howell beat the current record by nearly 20 seconds at Base Gagetown’s Fitness Facility on Feb. 28. The current Guinness World Record

The Tommies men's volleyball team with their championship banner at the the Lady Beaverbrook Gym. (Submitted: STU Athletics) The St. Thomas University (STU) Tommies didn’t drop a set in the finals. On March 1, the Tommies swept the Université Sainte-Anne Dragons 3-0 at Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium, claiming the Atlantic Collegiate Athletics Association (ACAA) Men’s Volleyball Championship in front of a packed home crowd. The first set was competitive. The two sides were tied 8-

The winners and judges of STU's short film festival. From left to right, André Loiselle, Alisa Los, Faith Vandermeer , Isabela Pacheco Rosales , Mariana Veneziani and John Muise. (Polina Pozlova/AQ) From intense board game battles to deeply personal stories about life as an international student, St. Thomas University’s second annual Short Film Festival brought a wide range of student voices to the big screen on March 18. Organized by the STU Production Society, the festival

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