Delivered by President Lahey on May 29, 2025
The Governor General’s Medal established in 1873 is one of the most prestigious awards that can be received by a student in a Canadian educational institution for exceptional academic achievement.
The University of King’s College Governor General Silver Medal recognizes academic and journalistic excellence. It’s awarded to a journalism student who is graduating with first class honours in the Bachelor of Journalism Honours degree program or with distinction in the one-year post-baccalaureate Bachelor of Journalism degree program who has shown significant professional development during their time in the journalism program of the School of Journalism, Writing & Publishing and stands the highest among their peers this year.
I am pleased to present this award to Linus Mulherin.
Hailing from Nova Scotia’s very own Annapolis Valley, Linus decided pursuing King’s journalism would allow him to do for a career what he already loved—and what he loved was telling stories.
Since arriving at King’s, Linus has excelled in his coursework showing a keen eye for those subtle details that often signal a larger, more compelling narrative bubbling beneath the surface. Unsatisfied with simple or easy answers, Linus quickly earned a reputation for digging deeply into a story with precision and care, uncovering a deeper context that helps bring the arc to life.
In the fall term, Linus began noticing the many sedans on Halifax streets adorned with black tassels on bumpers, window decals and customized license plates. Curious about this ornamentation and what it signified to the growing community of young men from India driving them, Linus set out to learn more. He spent weeks mapping where this community gathered locally and tracking down sources who would agree to an interview. The resulting piece for the news workshop was a compelling exploration of historical and political symbolism and culture among young Sikh men in Halifax and, of course, their pride and swagger.
This story, among Linus’s others, showcased his immense attention to detail and strong research skills that he has become known for since starting his studies. It also exhibits the persistent curiosity, strong work ethic and patience that drives great journalism.
In the advanced audio workshop’s production of the podcast Park Boundaries, Linus focused on the story of Africville and how African Nova Scotians were displaced from their homes along the Halifax harbour, and how part of the former community was repurposed into a park. Though the story of Africville’s destruction is well known, Linus went deeper, drawing connections and comparisons to other parks in the U.S. and Canada that were similarly established on land taken from Black or Indigenous communities. Linus also spoke with former Africville residents and their descendants who shared their personal histories, grief and resilience grounding the story in first-hand perspective and lived experience. Linus deepened this foundation with rigorous research and broader context to provide a larger perspective. He also attended court proceedings to follow arguments in an ongoing legal case related to the city’s actions in Africville. Linus did all of this with sensitivity and empathy for those at the heart of the story, and helped to create a compelling podcast episode that challenged dominant ideas about park creation. Even further, Linus recorded with a rich sound which he personally mixed with voices and script in a way that transported listeners to the Africville site, helping them truly understand what was lost.
Linus concluded the BJ program with a month-long internship at CBC Nova Scotia where he notably pulled together a cutting-edge story on the creation of Halifax public schools’ guidelines for the ethical and safe use of AI in classrooms which delivered multiplatform content for web, radio and television.
We have no doubt that Linus will continue to tell powerful, compelling stories wherever his path takes him next. Today, we are proud to celebrate Linus’s outstanding academic achievement and unwavering dedication to the craft of journalism.
It gives me great pleasure to present the Governor General Silver Medal to Linus Mulherin.