Features

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tamika Gideon, a first-year student at St. Thomas University, shows a direct message from Premier Susan Holt clarifying that the province is not pursuing a merger or closure of STU. (Suzanne Shah/AQ) Even after New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt assured students that St. Thomas University would not close or merge, some say the uncertainty surrounding proposed post-secondary funding cuts has already left a mark. For third-year student Zachary Girard, the initial reaction was imm

Alisa Los presented her short film, Memorabilia,  at the Voices for Ukraine community gathering. (Credit: Peter Gross) On Wednesday, Feb. 25, a small community group gathered at St. Thomas University for the first Ukrainian-focused event since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. The evening was filled with short documentary screenings by Ukrainian students with reflections and perspectives. It also included an informal discussion.  The event was hosted by the Inte

From left to right, Leen Arafat, Sama Ouf, and Jana Salem stand together wearing hijabs, challenging assumptions through faith, identity, and choice. (Suzanne Shah/AQ) For many Muslim women, the hijab is rarely seen as it is lived. Instead, it is debated, theorized and politicized, often by those who have never worn it. The result is a narrative shaped by outsiders, while the women themselves are left unheard. “Everyone has a theory about us, except us,” said Sama Ouf, a stud

The stuffed orangutan toy seen here is part of the IKEA Djungelskog line and was provided to the young macaque as part of his care. (Credit: NBC News)  A short clip of a baby monkey holding a plush toy has quietly become one of the internet’s most shared moments this February.  The monkey, known as Punch, lives at Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth and raised by zoo staff. To help him cope with isolation and stress, caretakers int

STUISA and the International Office organized the “International Love Party” on Feb. 12 in the Dawn Russell Lounge, James Dunn Hall. (Brianna Lyttle/AQ) With Valentine’s Day having just come and gone, various student societies at St. Thomas University planned festivities for students. For many international students, being away from their families and other loved ones during this time, Valentine’s Day, coupled with winter blues, can feel like an isolating time. To bring stud

Aleena Naveed, a second-year Muslim student from Pakistan, presented the significance of Ramadan at STU. (Credit: Brianna Lyttle/AQ) On Feb. 6, St. Thomas University hosted an event in the International Office to dispel common misconceptions about Ramadan, a month observed by Muslims that includes fasting and prayer.  The event was initiated by Saa Andrew G bongbor, the international office coordinator and STU cultural diversity coordinator, which featured a presentation from

Affordability pressures in Fredericton have intensified the debate over whether wage policy alone can keep pace with rising living costs. (Credit: Ali Ahmed Iraqui) When rent goes up, groceries go up and everything from transit to textbooks costs more, the instinctive response is simple: wages should go up too.  In New Brunswick, that instinct has turned into renewed calls for a “living wage,” a rate of pay meant to reflect what it costs to sustain yourself every day.  While

Representatives from 26 organizations offered information on hiring needs and recruitment timelines during the career fair. (Credit: STU Communications) On Feb. 10, students filled the Great Hall as they moved between employer booths, exchanged contact information and asked questions about summer jobs, internships and post-graduate work.  The annual Career Fair, hosted by the Experiential Learning and Career Development Office, brought professional conversations onto campus a

Nicholas Hussey, born in 1992, is a Fredericton-based multimedia director who coordinates commercial and nonprofit productions for clients across Canada and overseas while living with ALS. (Credit: Suzanne Shah/AQ) Nicholas Hussey was not meant to be an artist but a soldier. Hussey joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2012 when he was 19. He left after being injured and later being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), changing the course of his life. ALS is a pr

A freshly poured pint sits on the bar at a Fredericton brewery, where taprooms double as lively community hubs despite a national slowdown in beer sales. (Credit: Graystone brewery) Fredericton’s craft breweries are defying a national slump in beer sales by transforming their taprooms into essential community social hubs. Beer Canada, an industry group representing brewers, reported declines in beer production, consumption and sales in 2024. The group also reported a 1.5 per

Riham and her twin sister, Bayan Al Khalaf, with their mother, Salwa Khalil Saj, from Syria, sell their traditional food for the first time.  Salwa Khalil Saj gave permission to interview her 17-year-old daughter, Bayan Al Khalaf. At Centre Communautaire Sainte-Anne, two large banners with Ramadan at each end of the Cafétorium de l'École des Bâtisseurs greeted Fredericton locals on Saturday, Jan. 31. A souk — the Arabic word for marketplace — is traditionally a lively communi