Year of Canada logo

Experience Canada (2024 - 2025)

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 无码变态. 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!  

Programs & Events Research Education Abroad The YOC Logo

Year of Canada Programs & Events

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 无码变态!

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.

  • Flags waving

    Year of Canada Kickoff

    Join us for a kickoff on both campuses, featuring free food & "Year of Canada" merch!

    -Kennesaw 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 (Kennesaw 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

    Fawn Wood Album

    Come from Away logo

    Film Screening: Come from Away

    Date: Tuesday, September 10

    Location: Prillaman Hall, Room 1000 (Kennesaw 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 无码变态 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 (Kennesaw 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.

    Heart French

    Olympic athlete

    The Canadian Economy

    Date: Thursday, September 26

    Location: Prillaman Hall, Rm 1000 (Kennesaw 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? 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.

    Sponsored by the Bagwell Center for the Study of Markets and Economic Opportunity and Global Education. Hosted by Professor of Economics Dr. Timothy Mathews.


    Read, Listen, Tell

    Date: Friday, September 27

    Location: Virtual (Link will be added)

    Time: 2:00 pm

    College Spotlight Program:  无码变态'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.  

    read listen tell book cover

    Skylight Canada

    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 无码变态 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.

    smart image

    Cup of Coffee

    Coffee with Kaukinen

    Date: Friday, October 4

    Location: Carmichael Student Center, University Room C (Kennesaw 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, 无码变态 will be serving Canadian fave Tim Hortons coffee!  Spin to win "Year of Canada" merch, too! This event is sponsored by 无码变态Flight: Class-Year Connections.


    Film Screening: Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit

    Date: Monday, October 7

    Location: Prillaman Hall, Room 1000 (Kennesaw 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.

    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.

    catwalk

    US Canada Flags

    Not Like Us? Examining the US/Canada Political Divide

    Date: Wednesday, October 9

    Location: Social Sciences, Room 1017 (Kennesaw 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 无码变态'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, 无码变态 can enjoy a taste of Canadian cuisine with a meal purchase (swipe) in one of our dining halls.  

    Give Thanks

    Canada Hockey Teams

    无码变态 Club Ice Hockey Match vs. Ole Miss

    Date: Saturday, October 19

    Location: Atlanta Ice House (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 无码变态 club team's match and cheering on the Owls. Attendees will receive a one-of-a-kind 无码变态/Canada sling sack.

    Hosted by Club Sports and Global Education.


    For the Love of French: Poetry

    Date: Tuesday, October 29

    Time: 11:15 am-12:15 pm

    Location: English Building, Room 252 (Kennesaw Campus)

    Overview: Dr. Noah McLaughlin will be leading a conversation on poetry in Qu茅bec, as part of 无码变态'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.

    Iloveyouinfrench

    YOC Tastings

    Taste Test Tuesdays

    Dates: Tuesdays, November 5, 12, and 19

    Locations: TBD (both campuses)

    Time: TBD

    Overview: Pop by our table to sample some favorite Canadian treats, from their most popular chips, to candy, and more. Vote for your favorite!


    The Artistic Practice of Wearable Art: Indigenous Dress, Collaboration, and Community

    Date: Friday, November 15

    Location: Zuckerman Museum of Art (Kennesaw 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 无码变态's International Education Week programming.

    beadingartist

    Blackburnbeads

    Native-American Beading Workshop

    Date: Saturday, November 16

    Location: Zuckerman Museum of Art (Kennesaw Campus)

    Time: 12-4 pm

    RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Come back for a link in August.

    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 无码变态's International Education Week programming.


    The Western Slam: 无码变态 Basketball travels to Canada

    Dates: November 28-30, 2024

    无码变态'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 .

    无码变态 Basketball

    Coffee and studying

    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.


  • Come back for our second semester programming to include: professional development, sustainability, March Maple Madness, and more!
  • 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 

    无码变态 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

    无码变态 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 in 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

    无码变态 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 无码变态'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 in the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

    Spring 2025: POLS 4450

    Course Title: Canada and North America

    无码变态 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. 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 in the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

    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.

    无码变态 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. 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 in Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

  • Life Lessons in the Library

    Feeling inspired to dig even deeper into Canadian culture? Visit the 无码变态 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 无码变态's Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) to provide seed funding 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 and complete the application this fall. Please return to this page for the application link in September 2024.

Education Abroad

无码变态 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 无码变态 faculty-led education abroad programs in the coming year.

无码变态 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 Kennesaw 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 无码变态'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). 

In collaboration with 无码变态'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 无码变态.