On Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19, 2022, students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered to commemorate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Argosy, Mount Allison’s independent student newspaper.

The weekend-long celebration featured panels and interviews with Argosy alumni who spoke about politics, social media, data analytics, climate change, and more.

Special Presentation by Rhodes Scholar Bill Lahey

The celebrations began with a presentation by Argosy alumnus and Rhodes Scholar Bill Lahey (’83) to a geography and environment class about forestry practices in Nova Scotia. Now President and Vice-Chancellor and professor of law at the University of King’s College, Lahey shared insights from his career as a legal scholar and policy-maker.

In Conversation with Editorial Cartoonist Michael de Adder

On Friday afternoon, fourth-year international relations student Ainsley Cunningham led a discussion with award-winning cartoonist Michael de Adder (’91, LLD ’20). De Adder joined the Washington Post as its political cartoonist in 2021 and previously worked for the Chronicle Herald and Toronto Star.

De Adder reflected on his career to date, shedding light on both the positive and negative impacts of social media on his work and how political satire has changed in a digital environment.

De Adder admitted that he would have never become a political cartoonist had it not been for the Argosy, noting that despite some initial success as a visual artist, he soon realized that his Argosy cartoons had a wider reach on campus.

Data Journalism with William Wolfe-Wylie

Former editor-in-chief of the Argosy William Wolfe-Wylie (’07) gave students a demonstration of how data can help elevate and inform journalistic practices.

Wolfe-Wylie, who now works in the Chief Data Office at Employment and Social Development Canada, previously worked as a data journalist and web developer at various national media organizations. Learn more about his career path from the Argosy to data.

News Climate: Journalism and the Environment

On Saturday, CHMA News Director Erica Butler (‘94) moderated a conversation between Lahey, Wolfe-Wylie, and award-winning journalist Linda Pannozzo on journalistic responsibility and the climate crisis. The panel delved into the impact of media on political change; why journalists must balance the need to inform readers about the climate crisis without doomsaying; and how the way we tell stories is as important as the stories we tell.

Celebrating 150 Years of the Argosy

To close the celebrations, Argosy staff hosted a banquet in Tweedie Hall on Saturday evening. Guest speakers included University Archivist David Mawhinney, who provided a glimpse into how the Argosy has served as a repository of student thought and experience for generations.

The weekend also marked the launch of the Archives’ latest virtual exhibition, Early Mount Allison Papers. The website provides a broad overview of the history of student journalism on campus and links to digitized copies of early papers, including the Mount Allison Academic Gazette, the Argosy, and Allisonia. The virtual exhibition was created by archival intern Keegan Hiltz (’19) with assistance from Mawhinney.