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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

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

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

Nauman Farooqi stands outside his office at Margaret Norrie McCain Hall. (Polina Kozlova/AQ) Nauman Farooqi, president and vice-chancellor of St. Thomas University, said that the province’s latest budget will put continued pressure on universities, even without an immediate reduction in funding. “It’s a zero per cent increase, but effectively it is a cut because it’s not keeping pace with inflation,” he said, following the release of the 2026–27 provincial budget. The gover

Colby Leblanc is the incoming STUSU president for the 2026-27 academic year. (Credit: STU Communications) The St. Thomas University Students’ Union held its annual general election on March 9 and March 10. Fifteen candidates ran in total, a number chief returning officer Thomas Hamilton described as “on the higher end” compared to previous years. Colby Leblanc won the race for president, defeating fellow candidate Gabriel Prah. Leblanc, a human rights student and current at-

Student union leaders across New Brunswick gather at a protest outside the legislature in Fredericton, N.B. (Polina Kozlova/AQ) Approximately 400 students, faculty members and community supporters gathered outside the New Brunswick legislature on March 17 to protest proposed cuts to post-secondary education as the provincial government presented its budget. Finance Minister René Legacy presented the 2026-2027 provincial budget at 1:00 p.m., announcing that the government will

(left to right) Christian Cunningham, NBCC representative; Wilson Paluch, Mount Allison University representative; Kierra MacAlpine, University of New Brunswick representative; N.B. Premier Susan Holt; Ana Lucia Pavon, St. Thomas University representative; Connor Stevens, University of New Brunswick Saint John representative; and Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training, and Labour Jean Claud D'Amours. On March 10, student leaders from student unions around New Brunswic

Jenica Atwin, left, and Steve Hicks are both running to be Fredericton’s next mayor. (Credit: Facebook) With incumbent mayor Kate Rogers opting not to seek re-election, the upcoming municipal election in Fredericton has become a competitive two-person race between former federal MP Jenica Atwin and longtime city councillor Steve Hicks. Their contrasting backgrounds and priorities have energized residents, setting the stage for a race that many see as a turning point for the c

Anti-riot police in central Tehran in front of a state building covered with a billboard depicting the destruction of a U.S. aircraft carrier. (Credit: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images) In the early hours of Feb. 28, explosions were reported across Tehran and the U.S. confirmed they were not just watching; they were involved. In an eight-minute video posted to Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the American military had begun “major combat operations in Iran,”

Nearly four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, members of the Fredericton community gathered in front of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick to honour those lost and call for continued support for Ukraine. (Polina Kozlova/AQ) About 100 people braved the winter cold, wrapped in blue-and-yellow flags and holding handmade signs. For many attendees, the rally was both a public demonstration and a personal act of remembrance. (Polina Kozlova/AQ)

St. Thomas University granted Sandra Irving an honorary degree in 2017 to recognize her significant contributions to society, higher education and support to students across Atlantic Canada (Credit: STU Communications) On Feb. 17, St. Thomas University (STU) announced that Sandra Irving, the widow of late oil tycoon Arthur Irving, was appointed chancellor by the university’s board of governors. The news came in as Hon. Graydon Nicholas, the first Indigenous judge to be appoin

On Feb. 25, Nauman Farooqi, president and vice-chancellor at St. Thomas University, sent a mass email confirming that Premier Susan Holt had no intention to close or merge STU. Despite this, students are still speculating about the university's long-term future. (Credit: UNB Communications) As the New Brunswick government considers structural changes to post-secondary education, students at St. Thomas University (STU) are asking what a potential merger with the University o

On March 17, the provincial government is set to decide on a proposed $35 million to $50 million reduction in post-secondary education funding in New Brunswick. (Credit: STU Communications) Students at St. Thomas University are organizing petitions and outreach campaigns to elected officials after reports that the New Brunswick government is considering major reductions to post-secondary education funding. These changes could result in higher tuition, fewer services and even

Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, who represented Ukraine in skeleton at the 2026 Winter Olympics. (Credit: Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets) The 2026 Winter Olympics and upcoming Milano Cortina Paralympics have revealed how fragile and contested the idea of political neutrality in sport has become. While the games are meant to celebrate athletic excellence, global conflicts, geopolitical debates and media scrutiny are increasingly shaping both competition and per

Bad Bunny performed during the Super Bowl half-time show at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California. (Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation) When Bad Bunny took the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show earlier this month, the performance quickly moved beyond music. The Puerto Rican global superstar delivered a largely Spanish-language set celebrating Latin culture, identity and community. His performance drew widespread praise, sharp political criticism

Alex Neve with Shannonbrooke Murphy at the Kinsella Auditorium in St. Thomas University. (Credit: Peter Gross) On Feb. 17, Alex Neve delivered the 2026 Lodhi Lecture in Human Rights on “Universal: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World," at St. Thomas University’s Kinsella Auditorium. Neve is an adjunct professor in international human rights law at the University of Ottawa and Dalhousie University, as well as an officer of the Order of Canada. The lecture was organized

A February 2000 photograph shows Donald Trump, then-girlfriend Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. (Credit: Davidoff Studios/ Getty Images) Content Warning: This story contains mentions of rape or sexual assault that may be disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. The newest release of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein did what every release seems to do: it made everyone pause, scroll, argue and repost. Names resurface