We have no shortage of interesting students, staff, faculty and alumni here at MacEwan. Each year, we tell as many of their stories as possible – and some of them even tell theirs themselves!
Here are just a few of the interesting people who shared their stories in the 2023/24 academic year.
1. Nevin Janzen
“My son Theodore was born prematurely in July 2021 in the middle of the pandemic. He spent a month in the NICU battling lung problems, and at the same time, an immune system attack took away my ability to walk. I spent my days at the hospital caring for my son and my wife Victoria (who underwent a C-section) while still maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Last October, we celebrated the birth of my daughter Eliza, but in December, our son stopped breathing and had to have emergency open-heart surgery. Thankfully, he is healthy now, but his long hospital stay almost prevented me from graduating this spring.”Nevin Janzen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in June. He and several other students shared their memories of MacEwan, future plans, struggles and successes in our Meet the Class of 2024 convocation series.
2. Jessica Johns
“I've always been surrounded by story. My family are big storytellers. I've also lived a lot of my life in my own head, making up tales. Since I was a young kid, I liked writing, and that really blossomed when I was a little bit older. When I considered having a career in this industry, though, it took me a minute to believe that was something that I could actually do.”
MacEwan Book of the Year author and alum Jessica Johns shares what inspired her novel, Bad Cree, how her MacEwan professor helped her hone her craft and what being an aunty means to her.
3. Cheyenne Rain LeGrande
“My main practice is performance art, but I dabble in everything – fashion, installation, photography, video, sound and more. My work is often considered Indigenous futurism, and that’s a really big honour.”
2024 Emerging Leader Award recipient Cheyenne Raine LeGrande discusses the inspirations behind her art, how she uses it to express intergenerational resilience and joy and her relationship with her family.
4. Soyinka Seguin
“The objective is not only to provide solutions, but also to ask ‘how does this improve the lives of those around you?’”
Soyinka Seguin used his Bachelor of Design capstone project to help others. He partnered with the City of Edmonton to help make ride-sharing more accessible for users with disabilities.
5. Dr. Jillian Turanovic
“I am fortunate to have been invited to testify to the Florida Senate, to meet with officials from the Florida Office of Safe Schools to talk about how to improve school safety and to present my findings to audiences who have been directly impacted by school violence – including survivors from major school shootings, such as Columbine and Parkland. I never lose sight of the fact that my research is based on real people, their stories and horrific tragedies.”
2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Dr. Jillian Turanovic researches school shootings and how to make classrooms safer.
6. Al Olsen
“I want other students to know they shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help. You have to give yourself the tools to succeed to the best of your ability – and sometimes those tools come in human shapes.”
Al Olsen, Bachelor of Communication Studies student, shares how accessibility assistants helped them to succeed in class and minimize barriers.
7. AJA Louden
“When you go to places like Berlin, Barcelona, Rio or Bristol, there's graffiti and street art and murals everywhere. There's only one legal wall in Edmonton. Our public art culture can be so much richer when we open up the doors to a wider variety of participants. When we look at some of these other cities with these amazing graffiti and street artists, everywhere you look, there's something telling you a story.”
2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient AJA Louden has painted murals in Edmonton and around the world, and is a mentor to many young artists. He was even able to partner with the Oilers to create a special logo in honour of Black History Month.
8. Dr. Diane Symbaluk
“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.”
Dr. Diane Symbaluk, inaugural recipient of MacEwan’s Teaching Leadership Award, has spent nearly three decades building and shaping the Department of Sociology. At the heart of that dedication is a passion for students, and for ensuring that they get the most they possibly can out of her classes.
9. Biboye Onanuga
“We needed Darren [Jordan] to create 5 Artists 1 Love 18 years ago. And it’s the same with New Standards. These things don’t just sprout out of nowhere. There's a lot of Black folks making things happen.”
Alum Biboye Onanuga created New Standards, a weekly music series at The Common, where local musicians can earn their stripes while improvising in different genres.
10. Hannah Cruthers
“I have two uncles who are hardworking first responders – a paramedic and a firefighter. Both have told me about the difference massage therapy makes when it comes to performing the physical and mental tasks that come with their jobs.”
Massage therapy student Hannah Cruthers participated in a free clinic for 70 of Edmonton’s police, fire, EMS and military first responders.