Combined pitch email - June 12

Hey everyone!

We have some super interesting pitches for you here! My favourite part of article writing is always the new things I discover while working on a story. Take some time this week to write an article and learn something new in the process!

If you want to take any of these pitches, or have a pitch of your own, message the line editor of that section (through email or The Gateway's Slack), and they'll set you up to write the article.

Cheers,

Katie O.

News Pitches

You can reach Lily at [email protected] or over Slack!

Different methods of giving patients a drug to prevent stroke complications lead to ‘massive variation’ in outcomes: Standardizing the treatment for survivors of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage could help ensure all have an equal chance to benefit, says researcher.

Celebrating the graduating class of 2023 — you can choose one graduate to interview and write about:

^{Robel Ng’ong’a, who is graduating with a bachelor of management and a certificate in innovation and entrepreneurship from the U of A’s Augustana Campus, serves as Augustana Students Association President in 2021-22. Born and raised in Kenya, Ng’ong’a spearheaded a zero-cost textbook initiative, which has saved students $331,000; created policies to grow the Food Pantry; and rose to the occasion during the pandemic, managing to procure free masks for students and organize safe social gatherings online and in person.}

^{Casey Caines, an Indigenous law student, has secured a Supreme Court of Canada clerkship with Justice Michelle O'Bonsawin who is notable as the first Indigenous person to sit on the Supreme Court of Canada. Caines noted on Twitter: "My grandmother was unable to vote until my father was 20 years old. Now, here I am one generation later clerking at the #SCC for an Indigenous Justice. It is an almost unimaginable dream. But here we are."}

^{Samantha Gardner, who is graduating from the Alberta School of Business with a leadership certificate from the U of A’s Peter Lougheed Leadership College, is the co-founder and co-chair of the women in leadership club, 2022 HSBC Woman Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year and co-founder of Sunshine Connected, which pairs university students with older counterparts so both can learn from each other.}

^{Growing up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Emma Kasinyabo — a bachelor of science graduate from the U of A’s immunology and infection program — never got used to the numerous infectious diseases that burden that country. When she came to U of A, she hit the ground running, volunteering year-round in infectious disease labs, leading tours for grade-school children, and helping out with Alberta’s cerebral palsy associations.}

^{Stewart Holmes, a grandfather who is graduating with a bachelor of arts, came to the U of A after a 40-year career in accounting. He is proof that it is never too late to be enriched by a university education.}

^{Alyssa Ermineskin’s parents made sure their daughter had every opportunity to participate in sport even if it meant financial sacrifices or extra travel from their home in the Ermineskin Cree Nation in Maskwacis. And while not every child growing up in Indigenous communities is so fortunate, the Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism (BARST) graduate’s plan is to ensure every child that wants to play sport is afforded the opportunity.}

^{Resource economics grad Meghan Lim, who came to the U of A as a pole vaulting marvel, soared to new heights by using her passion for crunching numbers and sustainability to prove that a program that helps farmers use climate-smart agricultural practices to improve their food security, works.}

Opinion Pitches

You can reach Olivia at [email protected] or over Slack!

Premier Danielle Smith’s new cabinet: The newly re-elected premier revealed her new cabinet on Friday. Out of a cabinet of 25 ministers, 20 are men — with one of five female ministers being Rajan Sawhney, the new Minister of Higher Education. Take this pitch and discuss Smith’s selections: do you think her cabinet is strong enough to enact real change in Alberta, especially given its lack of diversity? Or, take this pitch in a different direction and write more directly to Sawhney: what do you think the new Minister of Advanced Education needs to know about students’ priorities at the UofA? What issues are top of mind? What does Sawhney need to do to win students’ trust?

Safety and the North Saskatchewan River: Edmonton Fire Rescue Services have already responded to 47 water events related to the North Saskatchewan River, four of them being animal-related. With these frightening events in mind, take this pitch and write about the state of river safety in Edmonton: should the city be doing more to prevent future river-related emergencies?

Is it time to get used to bad air quality? The air quality in Edmonton took another nosedive this weekend, with smoke from wildfires covering the city yet again. Knowing that forest fires happen every summer — and that they will only continue to rage with the worsening effects of climate change — take this pitch and write about the province’s response to the air quality crisis. Is it enough to simply issue warnings, or should more drastic measures be taken? As the air quality index continues to suffer, will Albertans be forced to grin and bear it?

Frantic fans aren’t enough for the Edmonton Elks: The Edmonton Elks’ opening game on Sunday brought in a crowd of 32,233 spectators, making it their most attended home opener in 10 years. Still, even with a large crowd of onlooking supporters, the Elks lost 17-13 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Take this pitch and write about the state of the Edmonton Elks: clearly, fans are feeling enthusiastic, but will this last if the team can’t follow through with a win?

A&C Pitches

You can reach Katie at [email protected] or over Slack!

Exhibit Review: Growing Pains, VASA Exhibition

dc3 art projects, until June 16

The Visual Arts Students' Association from the University of Alberta is showcasing some previously exhibited and new work at dc3 art projects. This show displays the artists' reflections on their creative growth and is the first exhibition of VASA outside of the U of A community.

Event Coverage: Imrpovaganza

Rapid Fire Theatre, June 14 to 24

This annual festival hosts some of the funniest improv groups in town. See some one-of-a-kind shows, including a Dungeons and Dragons improv performance, at the festival and tell us your thoughts!

Event Coverage: Stroll of Poets Society Celebrates 30 Years

Unity Edmonton Centre, June 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Stroll of Poets Society Edmonton is a group of poets that publish an anthology and provide space for members to orally perform their poetic works. Over 100 members have participated since the Society began, and have collected over 200 documents to display for the public in celebration of 30 years. Learn about Edmonton’s poetic history and share it with The Gateway!

Event Coverage: Edmonton Queer History Project Walking Tour

Meet at Alberta Legislature Wading Pool, June 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

This walking tour hosted by the Edmonton Queer History Project is a reminder of the continued fight for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights this Pride month. Participants will learn about Alberta’s history including the story of Delwin Vriend. Attend this event and share with Gateway readers.

Event Coverage: Love Out Loud Night Market

Alberta Aviation Museum, June 16 from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

To celebrate Pride, this night market is open to all ages and is free! They have an array of activities, food trucks, and vendors. It will be at the Alberta Aviation Museum. If you are interested in covering the event, let us know!

Performance Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Westbury Theatre, June 16 to 17 and 21 to 24 at 7:30 p.m, Matinées: June 18 and 24 at 2:00 p.m.

Joseph and the Amazing Techicolor Dreamcoat is a multi-award winning show that will be coming to Edmonton in the coming weeks. Watch as Joseph and the rest of the cast perform the classic hits from this musical, and review the performance!

Columns:

Playlists: Have killer musical taste? Share it on The Gateway with a curated playlist for the summer.

Top 5: Concerts — As we head into the summer, plenty of awesome musical acts will be coming to town. List the best concerts you have ever been to, local or top-charting artists, and share what made them so special!