Dr. Erin Hurley, an English professor at McGill University, visited campus to present the first lecture as part of a new partnership between her home institution and BSU.
Fred Clark, executive vice president and vice president of external affairs, and McGill’s Vice President Rose Goldstein recently signed a partnership agreement between the two universities that encourages cooperation in the forms of faculty exchange, research coordination and student interaction.
The partnership dates to June 2013, when Mr. Clark, Dean Paula Krebs and Dr. Michael Kryzanek, executive director of the Minnock Center, traveled to Montreal. Paving the way for the agreement was work done by Dr. Andy Holman, director of Canadian Studies at BSU, that years earlier established informal links with McGill.
Dr. Hurley’s main focus during her lecture the relationship between nationalism and theatre performance in Quebec. She used media figures, such as Celine Dion, Samir Khullar, Pink and Britney Spears to demonstrate her point.
Dr. Holman explained the importance behind Dr. Hurley’s lecture. “This brought a high quality of Canadian studies information and exposed our students to their culture,” he said.
The series of lectures will alternate annually. Also involved in the lecture series is Plattsburgh State and University of New York. Next year, BSU faculty will select the lecturer. (Story and photo by student Caitlin Seddon, University News)