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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

Alex MacLean working through his shift at St. Thomas University, where rising costs are making life harder to afford. (Credit: Suzanne Shah/AQ) Alex MacLean realized something had shifted when a routine grocery trip in Fredericton cost around $150. “I did not expect us to be where we are now,” he said. MacLean works full-time as a cleaner at St. Thomas University. For years, steady employment meant stability. Rent was manageable, groceries were predictable and budgeting felt

Rocky Lemon bakery on Lincoln Road is set to expand with a second downtown Fredericton location. (Credit: Sheldon Poon) Strong community support and creative desserts are helping the Rocky Lemon bakery thrive, with the Lincoln Road business set to open a second location in downtown Fredericton later this winter.   Nada Wiltshire, the owner of the Rocky Lemon,  first sold her products at the Northside Creators Market in 2020.   Wiltshire said the bakery plans to open a second

Tedx speakers, organizers, volunteers and a room full of audience at the Kinesiology Building at UNB for TEDx conference. (Credit: Suzanne Shah/AQ) On Jan. 15, a sold-out crowd filled the University of New Brunswick (UNB) earlier this year as TEDx returned to Fredericton after a four-year hiatus. TEDx is an independent event under the TED organization, a global platform created to share ideas worth spreading, bringing together speakers from different fields to inspire convers

A tunnel of lights brightens Officer’s Square during Fredericton’s annual FROSTival. (Credit: FROSTival official site) For Fredericton locals looking for fun ways to wait out the cold, Atlantic Canada’s largest winter festival, known as FROSTival, has arrived.  Running for three weekends, from Jan. 22 to Feb. 8., the festival has a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities for locals to enjoy. During the last weekend of January, three local rinks hosted free skates, with

Cannon's Cross Pub, a Fredericton-based riverside pub has continued operating at the same location since the early 2000s, despite high turnover in the restaurant industry, according to staff and ownership. (Credit: Suzanne Shah/AQ) A pub on the north side of Fredericton has remained open since the early 2000s, relying on long-term staff, local ownership and regular customers in an industry known for high turnover. Located near the Gibson Trail along the Saint John River, the

World leaders gather at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where discussions on peace and global cooperation took place amidst ongoing international conflicts. (Credit: AP News / Evan Vucci) While speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a “Board of Peace,” an initiative he said would operate alongside existing international institutions.  When asked whether the proposal would replace the United Nations, Trump said, “You

Students return to St. Thomas University for the winter semester, marking the start of a new term on campus. (Credit: Sabrina Zabatiero)  Coming back to class can be tough. For some, it means returning to a familiar environment, reconnecting with friends and resuming routine. For others, it involves starting over in a new country, adjusting to a different culture, different food and life far from home.  While students share the same campus, local and international students of

Asma Abdel Kader, a fellow board member along with Rawia Mokhtar,   President of the Manarat Association for Community services. (Credit: Peter Gross) Despite freezing rain on Sunday, Jan. 11, Fredericton residents gathered at the Cultural Centre to support the 13th Halal Food Fundraiser, raising money for humanitarian aid in Gaza and Sudan while also supporting the rural Harvey Food Bank. Approximately 30 vendors filled the wellness room at the Cultural Centre with authentic

Mohammed Ali Akhtar waits at a slippery Fredericton bus stop as winter conditions slow public transit across the city. (Suzanne Shah/AQ) Winter has long shaped life in New Brunswick, but for students without access to a car, the season increasingly dictates how their days are planned. Those concerns intensified after a Fredericton Transit bus slid into a ditch on Hilton Road last December during icy conditions. “I used to catch [a bus] but now … I’d be late, so I have to go o