Experience Canada during the 2024-25 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’s 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 Kennesaw State University!
Listed below are the Year of Canada events for the 2024-25 academic year. Additional events will be added to the website throughout Summer 2024. Event details including the times and locations will be added as information becomes available, so please check back! 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!
-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 a taste of Canada! Check back here in August to sign up
for trivia!
Film Screening: Come from Away
Date: Tuesday, September 10
Location: Morgan Hall, Bailey Performance Center (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
Overview: This filming 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.
Tickets: Although the event is open to and free for KSU students, faculty, and staff, a ticket
will be required for entry. Check back here for a link in August.
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.
The Canadian Economy
Date: Thursday, September 26
Location: Carmichael Student Center, University Rooms B&C (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.
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.
Film Screening: Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit
College Spotlight Program: Get your "meow" ready! Join us for a screening of the Canadian documentary film: “Catwalk: Tales from the Canadian Cat Show Circuit” 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’s 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 “Catwalk” 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.
KSU Club Hockey Match
Date: Saturday, October (TBD)
Location: Off-Campus
Time: 8:00 pm (tentative)
Overview: While Canadians love many sports, we often imagine their passion for the country’s official winter sport - hockey. As part of North America’s 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 a KSU intramural’s game and cheering on the Owls. Attendees will receive a one-of-a-kind KSU / Canada hockey t-shirt to wear at the game.
Hosted by Intramurals and Global Education.
Canada's Thanksgiving Day
Date: Monday, October 14
Location: The Commons and Stingers (Both Campuses)
Time: 12-2 pm
Overview: It's Thanksgiving Day in Canada! To honor the occasion, KSU can enjoy a taste of Canadian cuisine with a meal purchase (swipe) in one of our dining halls.
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 Québec, as part of KSU's “For the Love of French” series.
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 Setsuné's (grandmother’s) 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 (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 KSU's
International Education Week programming.
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 “home of Canada’s favorite coffee,” try a cup of Tim Horton’s while prepping for finals - - and sample a Timbits while you're there! If you dare, try Canada’s ever-popular “double double,” a cup of coffee with two creams and two sugars. The drink is so popular in Canada that in 2004 the term “double double” 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’ interactions with the criminal justice system, victims’ rights, social services for victims, and other efforts to address the needs of crime victims. 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.
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
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). 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 in the Norman J. Radow College
of Humanities and Social Sciences.
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 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 in August 2024. Please return
to this page for the application link in Summer 2024.
Education Abroad
KSU students can visit Canada and experience some of their culture first-hand, during the 2024-25 academic year. Come back to this site in the fall, for student opportunities to travel to Canada as part of KSU education abroad programs taking place in the spring and summer 2025.
KSU alumni will enjoy autumn in French Canada with fellow alumni, from September 20 – 27, 2024 as we travel to Montreal, Quebec, 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 KSU's Museums, Archives, and Rare Books (MARB) and Instructor James Newberry’s 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’s 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.
