Sam Farley
Chatting with Sam Farley, it’s clear that he’s become what journalism programs hope to foster: he’s a “newsman” in love with the work of being a journalist, with its skilled practices, constant change and the rich, if fleeting, new connections it brings every day.
Soon to graduate with a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours), Farley, born and raised in New England, came to King’s for both the Foundation Year Program and journalism. He was drawn by the small, close-knit community, a chance to read the great books, and to write. FYP, he says, was the ideal preparation for the BJH. “During FYP I learned to focus on what was in front of me, get it done and move on. In news, every day is a new story. It was great training.”
At the time of writing, Farley is finishing up an internship at Global News in Halifax where he’s been primarily on the digital desk, writing stories for the network’s website. And soon he’ll leave for Fredericton for a stint with CBC News. “I know that I love daily news and I love to write,” he says. “It’s a cliché, but every day is different and you don’t know what’s going to happen when you walk in. And I’m learning so much. I’m talking to an elected official, an expert in some field or someone who has undergone something life-changing. They know about something so deeply or they have been affected so greatly and I’m thinking, this is amazing.”
Richest among his experiences as a journalism student was a project he did about a (now defunct) Cape Breton-based Mi’kmaw community newspaper. “It turned out to be the coolest local newspaper that covered all the Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia. I went to Cape Breton for a few days and spent time with the paper’s founder and journalists. It had meant so much to them. They loved having their own voice and covering what really mattered to them. I loved seeing the power of journalism and how it served their community.”
Asked how he makes a story his own, he says, “I don’t know if it comes through, but I try to approach each story, each person I’m interviewing, with compassion, with empathy. I try to make a real connection with the person I’m interviewing and not just move on to the next.”
“During FYP I learned to focus on what was in front of me, get it done and move on. In news, every day is a new story. It was great training.”
Chase Fitzgerald
Chase Fitzgerald loved being a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) student. “I came to university thinking I might be a lawyer someday,” she reflected, “and to King’s specifically for FYP.” She was drawn by the opportunity to read challenging books and immerse herself in the rigors of FYP for a year. “I’ve always had a love of books and I wanted to learn more about how the human experience had changed and what remained the same, over the centuries.” She took Foundations of Journalism as an elective and fell in love with it. “I realized that I liked being a storyteller. I got to do this wonderfully unique program that taught me hands-on skills like video work and photography. I wasn’t just writing essays for four years. I loved my experience completely.”
The university experience isn’t always linear, especially these last few years. Therein, for some, lay its gift. At home in Mississauga, Ont., after the pandemic interrupted in-person learning, Fitzgerald was able to work in digital marketing and content creation for a Montreal-based personal branding agency. “Had it not been for the pandemic, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity to work remotely in a field that’s so vital and exciting,” she says. “It opened up this whole other world that showed me my journalism skills are useful in other industries.” Fitzgerald describes herself as an aspiring UX designer, which, she explains, “is understanding the human experience to enable tech to be easier for people to use. For me, it brings my creative and technical sides together.”
At the time of writing, Fitzgerald is completing her degree program with a journalism internship at Halifax’s Nimbus Publishing. “I’m absolutely loving it. I’m learning a lot of great writing and editing skills.”
Through King’s Liberal Arts Passport to Innovation, a program that helps students understand how they can apply their liberal arts education to the working world, she secured a summer internship as a Product Content Specialist with ExperiencePoint, a Toronto change management tech company. After the summer, she hopes to return to Halifax. “I do feel a bit robbed because of the pandemic. I want to give the city a little more time. And I can see growing opportunities for women in tech here.”
Fitzgerald, like so many, will miss King’s. “It has such a unique culture, it’s so small and tight-knit and I developed these extraordinary friendships without having to hold back my love of books. It was a moment for me to really explode as a human and not be afraid of showing my personality and trying new things. I owe all of that to the people, students and professors I met at King’s.”
“It was a moment for me to really explode as a human and not be afraid of showing my personality and trying new things. I owe all of that to the people, students and professors I met at King’s.”
