Experience Canada during the 2024-2025 academic year right from campus - - or travel north and experience it through one of several education abroad opportunities being coordinated by KSU. The Year of Canada will be a yearlong exploration into this North American country鈥檚 culture, history, and global influence.
The Year of Canada is part of a rich tradition of globally-focused programming that has existed at the university since 1984. We are proud to continue our collaboration with key international, domestic, and campus partners to host special performances, events, lectures, exhibits, film screenings, and seminars. These offerings help foster local and global connections and engagement across cultures.
Everyone on campus will have the opportunity to take part in Canadian life and culture throughout the year. We invite all faculty, students, staff, and alumni, to learn about our neighbors to the north while we discover the second largest country on Earth!
We look forward to seeing you at the diverse programming being offered this year as part of the Year of Canada. Many thanks to the faculty and staff, as well as the campus, community, and international partners, who are bringing the Canadian experience to 肉肉传媒!
Listed below are Year of Canada events for the 2024-25 academic year, as well as special
resources and educational opportunities. Please follow us @ksuglobaleducation on Instagram
to keep up with event details, including updated times and locations should unforeseen
circumstances require a change.
If you have any questions about the events listed below, please contact Community
Engagement and Outreach in Global Education at global.engagement@kennesaw.edu.
Fall 2024
Year of Canada Kickoff
Join us for a kickoff on both campuses, featuring free food & "Year of Canada" merch!
-肉肉传媒 Kickoff-
Date: Sunday, August 11
Location: Campus Green during Splash Bash/WOW
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
Overview: Sample Canada's delicious treat "poutine" and grab limited edition "Year of Canada"
merch! This event is co-sponsored by Global Education and Radow College via "Poutine
with the Dean."
-Marietta Kickoff-
Date: Friday, August 23
Location: Joe Mack Wilson Student Center Ballrooms
Time: 4:00-7:00 pm
Overview: Trivia, BINGO, music, and "fill yer boots" with a taste of Canada. Sign up for Trivia
is required below. Join as a team or we'll add you to a group. Spots are limited!
Music, Language, and Heritage
Date: Tuesday, September 10
Location: Academic Learning Center (ALC), Room 1201 (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 9:30-10:45 am
Overview: Indigenous singer Fawn Wood will be speaking on the origins and history of Indigenous music, the revitalization of language through the use of music, and Indigenous influences on popular music.
Fawn Wood is a Plains Cree and Salish musician from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in
Treaty 6 territory, in Alberta, Canada. She is most noted for her album Kakike, for
which she won the Juno Award for Traditional Indigenous Artist of the Year at the
of 2022.
This event is sponsored by the
Film Screening: Come from Away
Date: Tuesday, September 10
Location: Prillaman Hall, Room 1000 (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
Overview: This film of the Broadway hit musical "Come from Away" highlights the impact a small Canadian town had in the lives of airline passengers who were re-routed due to the events of September 11, 2001. Join members of the KSU community as we remember this historic event and honor the connection between the US and Canada. Hosted by the College of the Arts and Global Education.
Admission is free! Everyone who attends receives Year of Canada merch and Canadian candy!
For the Love of French
Date: Monday, September 16
Location: Social Sciences, Room 3010 (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 6:00 pm
Overview: Who doesn't love the way the French language rolls off of the tongues of those who speak it well?! Get a glimpse into the French-side of Canada, while practicing your French to impress all of the Francophones around you!
Sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures. Hosted by French Lecturer
Dr. Noelle Brown.
The Canadian Economy and Sports
Date: Thursday, September 26
Location:MOVED ONLINE due to Hurricane Helene - See OwlLife for Teams Links! (Formerly - Prillaman Hall,
Rm 1000 -肉肉传媒 Campus)
Times: 9:30-10:45 am and 11:00 am-12:15 pm
College Spotlight Program: How do citizens influence the support of sports, including the Olympics and the athletes
who represent their countries?
From 9:30-10:45 am, hear the results of research on Canadians WTP (Willingness To
Pay) that was conducted as part of previous Olympic Games. Better understand how these
mindsets can impact athletes, economics, and policies.
From 11:00 am-12:15 pm, hear the economics of Canada's national pastime, with insights
from research on the National Hockey League.
Sponsored by the Bagwell Center for the Study of Markets and Economic Opportunity
and Global Education. Hosted by Professor of Economics Dr. Timothy Mathews.
Building a Canadian Architecture
Date: Wednesday, October 2
Location: D-2 Auditorium (Marietta Campus)
Time: 5:30 pm
College Spotlight Program: Trevor Boddy is a national figure within the Canadian architecture scene. He has written
extensively on contemporary architecture in Canada from coast to coast. He serves
as a curator and critic - - hear from this urban designer first-hand!
Sponsored by the College of Architecture and Construction Management and Global Education.
Hosted by Associate Professor of Architecture Michael Carroll.
2024 Smart Villages Symposium
Date: Wednesday, October 2
Location: Virtual (University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, Canada)
Time: 8:30 am-6:00 pm (EST)
Overview: This event will focus on how rural people experience and use smart technologies, emphasizing the impact of new digital tools and technology, new modes of connectivity and new large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence. Special attention will be given to the challenges faced by youth and other marginalized populations. It will pay specific attention to how these technologies benefit rural communities and create new opportunities as well as new risks, such as social inequality, polarization, and misinformation. The event is intended for researchers, practitioners, students, and anyone else who may be interested in these issues. Speakers will include representatives from universities, governments, NGOs, and businesses.
This event is sponsored by the University of Guelph, a partner with KSU and the "Year
of Canada" program.
Participants are required to register for the event in advance using the link below.
There is no cost to participate.
Coffee with Kaukinen
Date: Friday, October 4
Location: Carmichael Student Center, University Room C (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Flight28 students are invited to enjoy coffee with their Dean Katie Kaukinen. And to help her feel even more at home, KSU will be serving Canadian fave Tim Hortons coffee! Spin to win "Year of Canada" merch, too! This event is sponsored by KSUFlight: Class-Year Connections.
Film Screening: Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit
Date: Monday, October 7
Location: Prillaman Hall, Room 1000 (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 8:00 pm (doors open at 7:45 pm)
College Spotlight Program: Get your "meow" ready! Join us for a screening of the Canadian documentary film: 鈥淐atwalk: Tales from the Canadian Cat Show Circuit鈥� written and directed by Michael McNamara.
Meet the fascinating felines and the people who pamper them in this whimsical look at the ins and outs of Canada鈥檚 competitive cat show circuit, where the claws come out when a Turkish Angora and an adorable fluffy red Persian face off to take home the national award for Best in Show.
Following the screening, Director Michael McNamara will talk about the process of shooting, editing and distributing his documentary and his experience of bringing 鈥淐atwalk鈥� to the streaming platform, Netflix.
Tickets are free.
Year of Canada "meow merch" will be put in the paws of those who attend.
Sponsored by Norman J. Radow College of Humanities & Social Sciences and Global Education.
Hosted by Assistant Professor of Communication Matthew Terrell.
Not Like Us? Examining the US/Canada Political Divide
Date: Wednesday, October 9
Location: Social Sciences, Room 1017 (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 11:15 am-12:15 pm
Overview:
As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, how are some of the top political feuds in the United States playing out differently North of the border? Discover how Canadians sound when 鈥渂attling鈥� about issues like inflation, immigration, healthcare, abortion, and Israel/Palestine - - and explore the reasons these debates are often sonically related but stylistically distinct in the Canadian political scene.
Interested in this topic? Register for POLS 4450: Canada and North America on M/W 3:30-4:45pm in Spring Semester 2025.
Sponsored by Dr. Heather Pincock, Associate Professor of Conflict Management, and
KSU's School of Government and International Affairs.
Canada's Thanksgiving Day
Date: Monday, October 14
Location: The Commons and Stingers (Both Campuses)
Time: 12-2 pm
Overview: It's To honor the occasion, KSU can enjoy a taste of Canadian cuisine with a meal purchase (swipe) in one of our dining halls.
KSU Club Ice Hockey Match vs. Ole Miss
Date: Saturday, October 19
Location: (2600 Prado Lane, Marietta 30066)
Time: 8:45 pm
Overview: While Canadians love many sports, we often imagine their passion for the country鈥檚 official winter sport - ice hockey. As part of North America鈥檚 National Hockey League (NHL), Canada is home to 7 of the 33 professional teams. We may not be able to see the Canadians in action, but tonight we can support the home team by attending the KSU club team's match and cheering on the Owls.
The first 50 students to check in will receive free admission! Attendees will also receive a one-of-a-kind KSU/Canada sling sack and Canadian candy,
while supplies last!
Note: The opens October 4.
Hosted by Club Sports and Global Education.
Read, Listen, Tell
Date: Friday, October 25
Location:
Time: 1:00 pm
College Spotlight Program: KSU's "Topics in Native American Literature" course will host three editors of the book "Read, Listen, Tell." The editors are faculty from Canada's Simon Fraser University. They will provide insights and lead discussion on this compilation of unique writings.
According to Wilfrid Laurier University press, "Read, Listen, Tell brings together an extraordinary range of Indigenous stories from across Turtle Island
(North America). From short fiction to as-told-to narratives, from illustrated stories
to personal essays, these stories celebrate the strength of heritage and the liveliness
of innovation. Ranging in tone from humorous to defiant to triumphant, the stories
explore core concepts in Indigenous literary expression, such as the relations between
land, language, and community, the variety of narrative forms, and the continuities
between oral and written forms of expression." Join us to be inspired, awakened, and
challenged as we look inside the lives and experiences of a few of Canada's Indigenous
authors.
"Don鈥檛 say in the years to come that you would have lived your life differently if only you had heard this story. You鈥檝e heard it now.鈥� 鈥擳homas King, in this volume
Sponsored by the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Global Education. Hosted by Associate Professor of English and American Studies Dr. Miriam Brown Spiers and Senior Lecturer of English Dr. Rochelle Harris Cox.
For the Love of French: Poetry
Date: Tuesday, October 29
Time: 11:15 am-12:15 pm
Location: English Building, Room 252 (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Overview: Dr. Noah McLaughlin will be leading a conversation on poetry in Qu茅bec, as part of KSU's 鈥淔or the Love of French鈥� series.
Sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures. Hosted by French Lecturer
Dr. Noelle Brown.
Canada: A Country of Substance
Date: Wednesday, October 30
Time: 12:30-1:45 pm
Location:
Overview: will be discussing substances such as Cannabis, LSD, Heroin, and/or Tim Horton's
Coffee. His lecture will focus on the national identity of Canada when thinking through
intoxicants or what people put into their bodies; it will engage with the history
and rhetoric of substances as it relates to the body politic and as it informs the
relationship between the US and Canada.
Sponsored by Norman J. Radow College of Humanities & Social Sciences as part of their
, focused on Mental Health in 2024-2025.
Taste Test Tuesdays
Dates: Tuesdays, November 5, 12, and 19
Locations: Both campuses
Time: See @ksuglobaleducation on Instagram for the times and locations!
Overview: Pop by our table to sample some favorite Canadian treats, from their most popular
chips, to candy, and more. Vote for your favorite and get Year of Canada merch, including unique stickers and Jibbitz!
The Artistic Practice of Wearable Art: Indigenous Dress, Collaboration, and Community
Date: Friday, November 15
Location: Zuckerman Museum of Art (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 1:30 pm
College Spotlight Program: Inspired by her late Setsune虂's (grandmother鈥檚) incredible garment-making, hide-tanning and adornment, Canadian artist Catherine Blackburn's work grounds itself in the Indigenous feminine. Join us for an artist talk in which she reflects on her wearable art practice and its intersection between Indigenous dress, collaboration, and community.
The talk will be accompanied by an Indigenous drumming session and a poster printing event both related to the exhibition by Native American artist Jeffrey Gibson which is on view in the museum.
Sponsored by Zuckerman Museum of Art and Global Education. This event is part of KSU's
International Education Week programming.
Native-American Beading Workshop
Date: Saturday, November 16
Location: Zuckerman Museum of Art (肉肉传媒 Campus)
Time: 12-4 pm. PLEASE NOTE: This program has reached capacity; no additional reservations are available.
College Spotlight Program: Join Indigenous artist Catherine Blackburn for this Applied Beading Workshop inspired by Aboriginal Classics, a series of works exploring themes of identity, language, and story. Participants will learn applied beading basics on an unconventional medium that utilizes a teabag as the vessel and story-holder.
Sponsored by Zuckerman Museum of Art and Global Education. This event is part of KSU's
International Education Week programming.
The Western Slam: KSU Basketball travels to Canada
Dates: November 28-30, 2024
KSU's men's basketball team will be going Canadian for a few days this year! They'll
travel to Alberta, Canada, to play in the , which features "four dynamic NCAA teams," in "a dynamic showcase of basketball talent."
The Owls will take on UC Irvine (11/28/24), Towson University (11/29/24), and Kent
State (11/30/24). See the Owls' schedule .
Canadian Coffee Break
Dates/Times/Locations: Wednesday, December 4 (K) - 10am-4pm - Relaxation Station in the Student Recreation
and Activities Center, Suite 1200
Thursday, December 5 (M) - 11am-1 pm - Joe Mack Wilson Student Center, 2nd Floor
Overview: Known as the 鈥渉ome of Canada鈥檚 favorite coffee,鈥� try a cup of Tim Hortons while prepping for finals - - and sample a Timbits while you're there! If you dare, try Canada鈥檚 ever-popular 鈥渄ouble double,鈥� a cup of coffee with two creams and two sugars. The drink is so popular in Canada that in 2004 the term 鈥渄ouble double鈥� was added to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary.
Year of Canada merch for attendees.
Hosted by Health Promotion and Wellness and Global Education.
Spring 2025
Come back for our second semester programming to include: professional development,
sustainability, March Maple Madness, and more!
Classes for Credit
Fall 2024: CRJU 4430
Join Dr. Catherine "Katie" Kaukinen who will be teaching "Victimology" during the
Fall 2024 semester. She will incorporate insights into and comparisons between the
US and Canadian criminal justice perspectives and systems. Class CRN: 86730
KSU Catalog Description: This course provides an overview of criminal victimization in the U.S. This course includes an examination of theories of victimization, research on the scope and impact of specific types of victimization, and efforts to prevent victimization. Additional topics covered include victims鈥� interactions with the criminal justice system, victims鈥� rights, social services for victims, and other efforts to address the needs of crime victims. 3 credit hours. Prerequisite: CRJU 1101 or SOCI 1101
Dr. Catherine Kaukinen is the Dean of the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and
Social Sciences.
Fall 2024: COMM 1100
Join faculty member Meredith Ginn as she incorporates a well-known Canadian brand
into her Human Communication classes. Most Americans have heard of lululemon; these
students will have the opportunity to dive deeper into this well-known brand's communication
strategies. Class CRNs: 82121, 82135, 82153, 82326
KSU Catalog Description: A broad approach to oral communication skills including intrapersonal, interpersonal,
small group, and public speaking. 3 credit hours
Meredith Ginn is a Senior Lecturer of Communication in the School of Communication & Media within the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Fall 2024: ENGL 3342
Course Title: Topics in Native American Literature
Topics in Native American Literature will feature literature from indigenous Canadian
authors. The course will incorporate guest speakers/faculty from Simon Fraser University
in British Columbia. Class CRN: 12652
KSU Catalog Description: This course is a study of a selected topic in Native American literature. For example,
the course might focus on a single artist (such as Louise Erdrich), a group of artists
(such as writers of the Native American Renaissance), a genre (such as Indigenous
science fiction), a region (such as writers of the Native South or the Pacific Northwest),
or a theme or issue (such as Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women or intergenerational
trauma). 3 credit hours.Prerequisite: ENGL 1102
Dr. Miriam Brown Spiers is coordinating programming in this course, in conjunction
with the "Year of Canada." She serves as KSU's Director of MAST and Coordinator of
Native American and Indigenous Studies, as well as Associate Professor of English
and American Studies.
Dr. Rochelle Harris Cox will serve as the course instructor. She is a Senior Lecturer
of English. Both Dr. Spiers and Dr. Cox are faculty within the Norman J. Radow College
of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Spring 2025: POLS 4450
Course Title: Canada and North America
KSU Catalog Description: This course focuses on the commonalities and differences in the political systems
and public policies of Canada and the United States, with emphasis on Canada. Issues
such as political culture and value systems, electoral politics, federalism and regionalism
including the status of Quebec, public opinion, NAFTA, health care, immigration, political
integration, the treatment of indigenous peoples, ethnic and gender representation
are explored. 3 credit hours. M/W 3:30-4:45 pm. CRN: 15885 Prerequisite: POLS 1101 or permission of the instructor.
Dr. Heather Pincock will be teaching this course. She is an Associate Professor of
Conflict Management in the School of Government International Affairs. Dr. Pincock
also serves as the Interim Peace Studies Coordinator within the Norman J. Radow College
of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Spring 2025: GEOG 4380
Course Title: Geography of North America
KSU Catalog Description: A geographical survey of North America, emphasizing the significant diversity found
in both the physical and human geography of the region. Past, current and changing
locational arrangements of people and resources are examined as they relate to economic,
political, urban and cultural geographic perspectives within the framework of the
forces that have created the variety of landscapes of the North American continent.
3 credit hours. Online. CRN: 15572.
In the spring, this course will focus on the physical and human geography of Canada and the United States, and the interconnections between the two countries. Students will also examine the physical and human geography of Canada's sub-regions, including: the Atlantic Periphery, Quebec, the Great Lakes region, the Great Plains and Prairies, the Canadian Rockies, the Pacific Northwest, and the Far North.
This course will be taught by Dr. Paul McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography,
in the Department of Geography and Anthropology within the Norman J. Radow College
of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Spring 2025: ENGL 3342
Course Title: Topics in Native American Literature
KSU Catalog Description: This course is the study of a selected topic in Native American literature.
As part of KSU鈥檚 Year of Canada, this class will focus on Indigenous Canadian literature and the relationship between Native American and First Nations cultures and histories. To better understand the Canadian context, our class will participate in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) with an Indigenous Studies class at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.
We will read at least one shared text and schedule shared class sessions over Zoom.
With our Canadian partners, we will explore the Indigenous literary renaissance currently taking place in the U.S. and Canada. Indigenous authors in both countries are creating innovative work in a variety of forms and genres. This semester, we鈥檒l survey some of the most exciting texts published in the 21st century, ranging from horror to historical fiction, from Young Adult (YA) novels to award-winning tv shows, from poetry to science fiction. Authors may include Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Tanya Tagaq, Eden Robinson, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Smokii Sumac, Cherie Dimaline, Joshua Whitehead, and Waubgeshig Rice, among others. 3 credit hours. Hybrid, Tuesdays 3:30-4:45 pm. CRN: 12652. Prerequisite: ENGL 1102
This course will be taught by Dr. Miriam Brown Spiers, KSU's Director of MAST and
Coordinator of Native American and Indigenous Studies, as well as Associate Professor
of English and American Studies.
Spring 2025: POLS 4447
Course Title: Arctic Politics, Policy, and Security in a Changing Environment
Students in this course will examine and analyze the Arctic strategies of various
Arctic States, including Canada.
KSU Catalog Description: As the Arctic region warms, new issues are confronting the region and states that
border it. This course examines human, environmental, energy, and traditional security
challenges facing the Arctic states and the world. Such challenges include the consequences
of renewed Great Power competition, territorial disputes, apparent militarization,
rapid environmental change, and significant new investments in energy development
and transit/shipping routes. The course evaluates existing multinational legal and
political architecture that may help ameliorate such problems. 3 credit hours. T/TH 9:30-10:45 am. CRN: 15775.Prerequisite: POLS 1101
This course will be taught by Dr. Thomas Rotnem, Associate Director of the School
of Government and International Affairs and Professor of Political Science within
Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Library Links
Life Lessons in the Library
Feeling inspired to dig even deeper into Canadian culture? 肉肉传媒 the KSU library's
online "Year of Canada" resource list. These resources have been curated with a focus
on the country and topics related to on-campus programming. From guest speakers, to
sports, authors, and documentaries, there is something for everyone.
"Year Of" Undergraduate Research (YOUR) Funding
A priority of the "Year Of" Annual Country Study Program has been and continues to
be inspiring and supporting international partnerships and research. To further this
goal, Global Education is working with KSU's Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR)
to provide mini-grants of up to $1,000 for faculty who choose to mentor undergraduate
researchers, while expanding their research in partnership with colleagues in the
country of focus. Faculty who wish to be considered, must identify a research partner
within a Canadian higher education institution or organization, and complete the application
this fall. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until January 31, 2025,
or when all funds are disbursed, whichever comes first. Please review the requirements
and apply on the OUR website below.
KSU students can visit Canada and experience some of their culture firsthand during the 2024-25 academic year. Click below to learn more about our Exchange Program at Universit茅 Laval in Qu茅bec City. Come back to this site in September for opportunities to study in Canada, as part of KSU faculty-led education abroad programs in the coming year.
KSU alumni will enjoy autumn in French Canada with fellow alumni, from September 20 鈥� 27, 2024 as we travel to Montr茅al, Qu茅bec, and the Scenic Eastern Townships with alumni from 肉肉传媒 State, Georgia State and the University of West Georgia. The trip is full, but look for more opportunities next year as part of the "Year of the United Kingdom."
Panels & Trivia
In collaboration with KSU's Museums, Archives, and Rare Books (MARB) and Instructor James Newberry鈥檚 Museum Studies class (HIST 4430), the "Year of Canada" has developed a set of introductory exhibit panels to provide a general overview of important topics related to the country of study, and to draw the campus into the Year of Canada experience. Look for these panels across campus and test your knowledge with the Canadian-focused trivia embedded on each piece.
Many thanks to the students and staff who brought this to fruition: Max Blafer, Brendyn Cole, Rafeal Dixson, Reagan Earnhart, Mckenna Hayes, Lauren Lyle, Lily Mays, Sydney Murdock, Ian Schirmer, William Vaughn, and Kay Yale (students); James Newberry, Outreach and Special Projects Curator, Kelly Hoomes, Museum Research Specialist, JoyEllen Williams, Special Collections Curator, and Chase Rodriguez, Student Intern (MARB staff).
Year of Canada Logo
In collaboration with KSU's College of the Arts and the School of Art and Design鈥檚 Design Practicum course (ART 4030), we are excited to present the iconic Year of Canada country study logo. This logo will be used throughout the year to identify official programs that are affiliated with the university-wide focus. Many thanks to Assistant Professor John King and the following seniors who created this design: Taylor Harris, Vivian Higgins, Baileigh Krause, and Sydney Toner. Additional seniors from this class created another insightful design that will be featured throughout the Year of Canada, as well: Jacob Badgett, Taylor Montooth, Melanie Vivirito, and Spencer Wilcox. Global Education is proud to feature the work of our young professionals as part of this signature focus at KSU.
