A recent graduate of St. FX University has earned two prestigious scholarships to pursue a Master of Arts degree at the University of Toronto.
Abby Ives received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in English at St. FX during Spring Convocation.
The awards include a $27,000 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council master’s scholarship and a $30,000 C. David Naylor Fellowship at the University of Toronto . The fellowship is open to all MA and PhD students across disciplines with ties to Atlantic Canada . The awards recognize academic excellence, leadership and community involvement.
Abby Ives, pictured, has been awarded a $27,000 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada master’s scholarship and a $30,000 C. David Naylor University Fellowship at the University of Toronto, where she will begin a Master of Arts in English. (St. FX University photo)
Ives, a native of Stratford, PEI says the path for her honours thesis began with a second year English course at St. FX where she learned a novel called the “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas had been banned by a Halifax school. The novel tells the story of a 16-year-old African-American girl who faced police brutality and racism. Ives did some research on the issue and whether other books are not permitted in classrooms in the region . Ives found those that are banned are not widely reported by teachers . Ives says in other cases, teachers might self-censor certain novels, fearing reprisals or concerned they are not properly quipped to include them in their class.
Ives’ thesis supervisor, English professor and Canada Research Chair in Digital Humanities, Dr Laura Estill, welcomed the news, saying her research is both original and timely , and shows the ongoing importance of humanities research at St. FX. Ives begins her studies at the University of Toronto in the fall.