Below is the original news release published at the time of this event. While some references are no longer current, the article provides details about important milestones in Loyalist’s history.
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Trent-Loyalist Journalism program Launched by Loyalist and Trent University
Belleville, Ontario, September 4, 2013 – Loyalist College is pleased to announce the opening of its Digital Media Centre, including a 10,000-square-foot newsroom which includes video editing suites, television studio, interview booths, audio production booths, and meeting rooms. The Centre will be the home of various media programs, including the new Trent-Loyalist Journalism program, which launched at the opening event.
Trent University participated in the opening live from Peterborough, where the university hosted a similar event to unveil the Trent Bureau of QNet News, Loyalist’s award-winning student-produced community online news service. Together, Loyalist and Trent introduced a new version of QNetNews.ca, through which students write, report, share photographs, host programs and produce web, social media and video and audio content.
The new Trent-Loyalist Journalism program enables students to earn a joint-major Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Journalism and another discipline of their choice from Trent, as well as an Ontario College Advanced Diploma in Journalism – Online, Print and Broadcast, from Loyalist. Depending on the discipline, the combined program can be completed in four or five years of full-time study.
“The media landscape is changing and our students are on the cutting edge of how the news is now gathered and distributed,” said Jane Harrison, Dean, School of Media, Arts + Design at Loyalist. “In our newsroom, students are respected like members of the working press, and their audiences are real. They’re producing high-quality news coverage for public consumption.”
In addition to the Trent-Loyalist Journalism program, a variety of programs will use the Newsroom’s facilities:
• Broadcast Engineering Technology Three-Year Ontario College Advanced Diploma
• Journalism – Online, Print and Broadcast Three-Year Ontario College Advanced Diploma
• Photojournalism Two-Year Ontario College Diploma
• Sports Journalism One-Year Ontario College Post-Graduate Certificate
• Television and New Media Production
“Our Journalism students create an impressive multiplatform portfolio and complete field placements at newsgathering organizations across Canada,” added Dean Harrison. “Our graduates find work as writers, reporters, photographers, editors, freelancers, web content providers, editorial assistants, videographers, program hosts and news anchors. The skills developed in this program can also lead to careers in public and media relations, and educational, training or industrial content production.”
Members of the College’s Journalism advisory committee include representatives from Shaw Media, Rogers Communications, Bell Media, CBC, CTV, Corus Entertainment, Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail and National Post, among others.
Quotes
“We are delighted to announce the official opening of the Digital Media Centre, a spectacularly designed and fully equipped learning environment for our media students, including those in our new Trent-Loyalist Journalism program. Together with Trent University, we are proud to introduce a powerful post-secondary pathway that educates and trains Journalism students as subject matter experts. For example, science stories may be told by graduates with a science degree and international stories told by graduates who studied international affairs. It’s an exciting new model for journalism education in Ontario that combines rigorous academic standards with hands-on training from media industry experts.”
– Maureen Piercy,
President, Loyalist College
“Trent University is proud to be a champion of collaborative learning, as embodied by this partnership with Loyalist College. We value our institutions’ common goals to prepare students for brighter futures and to contribute to their communities. As one of Ontario’s most transfer-friendly universities, Trent is committed to academic excellence and to promoting an enriched learning environment that encourages exploration between fields of study and critical engagement with the world. The Trent-Loyalist Journalism program is a great example of how we provide integrated learning experiences that are designed to hone critical thinking skills grounded in dialogue, research and practical experience.”
– Steven Franklin,
President, Trent University
Loyalist College prepares students for a rewarding career by combining rigorous academic standards with hands-on training from industry experts. Programs range from apprenticeships and certificates to diplomas and post-graduate studies. Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs and 77 university transfer agreements around the world. The best testament to the College’s value is from students, 97 percent of whom say they would recommend Loyalist to a friend. Loyalist is committed to helping students find great jobs, as well as supporting and enhancing the economic and social development of all individuals in its communities.
About Trent University
One of Canada’s top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of collaborative learning that’s personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. As the University prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014, Trent’s unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever.
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Loyalist College Contact: Kerry Lorimer, 613-969-1913, ext. 2536, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca
Trent University Contact: An Kosurko, 705-748-1011, ext. 6182, ankosurko@trentu.ca
Trent University and Loyalist College Launch Journalism Program
Students gather for first live-stream from the Trent Bureau of QNet News
Wednesday, September 4, 2013, Peterborough and Belleville
Trent University journalism students and faculty participated in the official launch of the Trent-Loyalist Journalism program live from the new Trent Bureau of QNet News, during a webcast from Loyalist College in Belleville, where the college hosted an event to unveil its digital media centre, including a 10,000-square-foot newsroom.
Together, Trent and Loyalist also introduced the new Trent Bureau of QNet News, a satellite of Loyalist’s award-winning student-produced community online news service through which students write, report, share photographs, host programs and produce web, social media and video and audio content.
On hand in the new Trent Bureau of QNet News were second-year students of the Trent-Loyalist Journalism program who completed their first year at Trent and worked through the summer at Loyalist in an intensive eight-week introduction to the fundamentals of radio, television, newspaper, magazine and online media.
The new Trent-Loyalist Journalism program enables students to earn a joint-major Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Journalism and another discipline of their choice from Trent, as well as an Ontario College Advanced Diploma in Journalism – Online, Print and Broadcast, from Loyalist. Depending on the discipline, the combined program can be completed in four or five years of full-time study. The combination of the rigours of an honours degree and the skill required to tell compelling stories to an audience will make Trent-Loyalist Journalism graduates desirable to a demanding and ever-changing industry.
Storytelling is at the heart of the new fully-integrated Trent-Loyalist Journalism program that prepares graduates to be informed, critically-aware, and technically skilled journalists. The program is unique in enabling students to pursue their academic study in any of Trent’s arts and science disciplines, where they will develop a foundation in research, critical analysis and writing in their discipline of choice.
“So far it’s been a dream come true,” said second-year student Mark Hodgins. “Trent is a fantastic school; the campus is beautiful, the professors are exemplary and it’s just the right size to make you really feel as though you’re a part of what goes on. The professors at Loyalist are all seasoned veterans in what we hope to one day do, and their passion for Journalism really helped to solidify my desire to be in the industry. The Newsroom is going to be great,” he added.
“As one of Ontario’s most transfer-friendly universities, Trent is committed to academic excellence and to promoting an enriched learning environment that encourages exploration between fields of study and critical engagement with the world,” said Dr. Steven E. Franklin, president and vice-chancellor at Trent University. “The Trent-Loyalist Journalism program is a great example of how we provide integrated learning experiences that are designed to hone critical thinking skills grounded in dialogue, research and practical experience.”
“We are proud to have Trent University as a partner in creating this powerful combination of post-secondary education for future journalists,” said Loyalist College president Maureen Piercy. “Together, we are preparing students to take advantage of tomorrow’s job opportunities available to them in new media industries. Paving these pathways will help students seamlessly and successfully gain the best of both the university and college learning experience. Loyalist is delighted to share our expertise and experience in producing world-calibre journalists with an exceptional partner such as Trent University.”
According to Dr. Hugh Elton, dean of Humanities at Trent, the Trent-Loyalist Journalism program is unique for the level of integration and the joint-major aspect of the program. “Students in this program can choose virtually any other Trent discipline as their joint major including Business Administration, Media Studies, International Development, Environmental Studies and Sciences, English Literature and more.”
About Trent University
One of Canada’s top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of collaborative learning that’s personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. As the University prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014, Trent’s unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent’s students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent’s Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Oshawa delivers a distinct mix of programming in the GTA.
About Loyalist College
Loyalist College prepares students for a rewarding career by combining rigorous academic standards with hands-on training from industry experts. Programs range from apprenticeships and certificates to diplomas and post-graduate studies. Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs and 77 university transfer agreements around the world. One of the best testaments to the College’s value is from graduates who find jobs, as evidenced in the annual College Key Performance Indicator for Graduate Employment, which is consistently above the provincial average. Loyalist is committed to helping students find great jobs, as well as supporting and enhancing the economic and social development of all individuals in its communities.
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Trent University Contact: An Kosurko, 705-748-1011, ext. 6182, ankosurko@trentu.ca
Loyalist College Contact: Kerry Lorimer, 613-969-1913, ext. 2536, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca
Trent-Loyalist Journalism Program FAQ
WHAT IS THE NEW TRENT-LOYALIST JOURNALISM PROGRAM?
The new Trent-Loyalist Journalism program enables students to earn a joint-major Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Journalism and another discipline of their choice from Trent University, as well as an Ontario College Advanced Diploma in Journalism – Online, Print and Broadcast, from Loyalist College. Depending on the discipline, the combined program can be completed in four or five years of full-time study.
WHY DID TRENT AND LOYALIST PARTNER TO CREATE THIS PROGRAM?
Loyalist and Trent have long recognized their affinity in regard to their size and culture. The two institutions began discussions with the view to create a new model for journalism education in Ontario. The underpinning was the commitment to the concept that journalism is storytelling and that those stories need to be told by professionals who know the subject matter best. For example, science stories may be told by graduates with a science degree and international stories told by graduates who studied international affairs. To deliver this specialization, Trent and Loyalist brought together expert faculty members who represent a wide variety of disciplines. Rather than developing an articulation agreement, the two institutions worked together to develop a post-secondary pathway.
HOW DO STUDENTS DIVIDE THEIR TIME BETWEEN TRENT AND LOYALIST?
Trent-Loyalist Journalism students enroll at Trent and study there during the traditional academic year. Upon successful completion of their studies at Trent, the students come to Loyalist for the first of two summer institutes. At Loyalist, they learn how to tell stories on a variety of platforms – print, video, audio, online and via social media.
In year two, the students return to Trent and continue to pursue their degree while connected to Loyalist via the Trent Bureau of the QNet News site. After successful completion of their second summer institute, the students have two years toward their degree and one year toward their advanced diploma. The students spend the third year at Loyalist where they complete the second year of the Journalism program, receiving transfer credits toward their degree.
The fourth and sometimes fifth year is a blend of thesis projects, capstone projects, and courses where required. The students conduct research and/or trials that satisfy the rigours of their studies at Trent, and produce news and information programming on a variety of platforms for a targeted audience. The framework for the final years is customized according to the student’s combined disciplines.
WHERE IS THE PROGRAM HOUSED AT LOYALIST?
The program is delivered in Loyalist’s new Digital Media Centre, which opened on September 4, 2013. It includes a 10,000-square-foot newsroom with video editing suites, television studio, interview booths, audio production booths, and meeting rooms. In the integrated newsroom, students are respected like members of the working press, and their audiences are real. They are producing high-quality news coverage for public consumption. The media landscape is changing and Loyalist media students are on the cutting edge of how the news is now gathered and distributed. In addition to the new Trent-Loyalist Journalism program, the Centre will house Loyalist’s:
• Broadcast Engineering Technology Three-Year Ontario College Advanced Diploma program
• Journalism – Online, Print and Broadcast Three-Year Ontario College Advanced Diploma program
• Photojournalism Two-Year Ontario College Diploma program
• Sports Journalism One-Year Ontario College Post-Graduate Certificate program
• Television and New Media Production program
WHAT IS QNET NEWS?
QNET News is Loyalist’s award-winning student-produced community online news service. Together, Loyalist and Trent introduced a new version of QNetNews.ca, through which students write, report, share photographs, host programs and produce web, social media and video and audio content. Trent University also opened a Trent Bureau of QNet News, through which students will report during their studies at Trent.
Loyalist is extremely proud of its history as a groundbreaking pioneer of online applications to support journalism’s important role in democracy by generating broad dialogue on important social issues. Loyalist’s commitment to political discourse and engaging voters at all levels is evidenced by the College’s hosting of all-candidates meetings. Loyalist was ahead of the curve in using social media to blend face-to-face questions during Federal Liberal leader candidate Justin Trudeau’s tour of the School of Media, Arts and Design on February 14, 2013, which attracted extensive national coverage.
THIS PROGRAM PREPARES GRADUATES FOR WHAT TYPES OF CAREERS?
Graduates find work as writers, reporters, photographers, editors, freelancers, web content providers, editorial assistants, videographers, program hosts and news anchors. The skills developed in this program can also lead to careers in public and media relations, and educational, training or industrial content production. The media landscape is changing and Trent-Loyalist Journalism graduates are on the cutting edge of how the news is gathered and distributed. Students create an impressive multiplatform portfolio and complete field placements at newsgathering organizations across Canada.
Members of the College’s Journalism advisory committee include representatives from Shaw Media, Rogers Communications, Bell Media, CBC, CTV, Corus Entertainment, Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail and National Post, among others.
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Loyalist College Contact: Kerry Lorimer, 613-969-1913, ext. 2536, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca
Trent University Contact: An Kosurko, 705-748-1011, ext. 6182, ankosurko@trentu.ca
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