Journalism STUdent Jonas May Covers Liberal Leadership Convention in Ottawa
Fourth-year Journalism STUdent Jonas May applied the skills he honed at STU to deliver high-level coverage at the Liberal Leadership Convention in Ottawa.
After obtaining media accreditation from the Liberal party of Canada, May was invited to cover the high-profile event in real-time for The Aquinian — STU’s student newspaper.
“Essentially, all of my journalistic skills were at play,” said May.
“Whether it was the interviewing skills developed through numerous courses or the quick writing that enabled rapid story publication following key announcements, the toolbox I learned and developed at STU was pivotal.”
The convention, which brought Liberals from across the country together to choose a new party leader, gave May the opportunity to network with journalism professionals — many of whom were surprised he was representing a student publication.
“It was an extremely intense environment behind the scenes,” he said.
“I saw cabinet ministers, former prime ministers, and MPs from across Canada. Being from Newfoundland, seeing CBC political reporter David Cochrane—someone I've watched on TV for years—standing right next to me was truly inspiring.”
May also learned to be more assertive and seized the opportunity to join a scrum with candidate Karina Gould following the announcement of the results.
“I feel more confident in my abilities. I can take this experience and apply it to multiple fields of journalism throughout my career,” he said.
“Peeling back the curtain was eye-opening, and I now know exactly what to expect and how to succeed when similar opportunities arise.”
Journalism at STU 
The Journalism program equips students to work in all aspects of news and current affairs production. Courses teach a combination of fundamental skills in writing, presentation, and production but also stay ahead of changes in the media landscape to offer classes on podcasting, documentaries, and digital journalism.