Concordia faculty, staff and alumni pop up in the media more often than you might think!

A first novel by Catherine Mavrikakis (Études françaises) was given star treatment by Le Devoir. Called Deuils cannibale et mélancholiques (Éditions Trois), the book grew out of Mavrikakis’s anger and sense of loss following a number of suicides and deaths from AIDS that affected her life. “I detest people who kill themselves,” she told the interviewer. “Sometimes I want to hit them. I know what suicide can do.” The novel was also favourably reviewed in La Presse.

PhD in the Humanities student James Drobnick has researched more than 500 odoriferous art works. His unusual research was described in a full-length article in the National Post by Journalism alumnus Patchen Barss. Drobnick says we have a bias against smell, but artists are increasingly willing to explore this much-abused sense. He was a presenter and key organizer at Uncommon Senses, an interdisciplinary conference held last term at Concordia.

Filippo Salvatore (CMLL) gave a wide-ranging interview to the Toronto-based publication Tandem, which is aimed at ethnic communities. Salvatore sees Italian Canadians as valuable players in the national debate, though he admits they tend to be federalists. “Federalism is part of our heritage,” he said.

Priscilla David (Counselling and Development) was quoted in an article in the September issue of Canadian Living magazine about how to say no to the boss who piles on more work. She said a good approach is to use positive, co-operative questions to help your boss decide how the task can be done most efficiently, with or without you.

Marc Gervais, S.J. (Cinema) was profiled in a recent issue of the Catholic Times. At 70, he is still an active teacher, film reviewer, jury member, author and film consultant (Agnes of God, Black Robe, The Mission). He was one of 14 critics honoured this year with a medal for having attended the Cannes Film Festival since the mid-1960s. He told the Times that he sees his work as a ministry, and notes that while there is more brutality than ever in the movies, there are more films with a spiritual dimension.

The Catholic Times also published an article recently about Msgr. Russell Breen, a former Loyola teacher and administrator. In 1993, after overseeing a major renovation of St. Patrick’s Basilica in downtown Montreal, Msgr. Breen suffered a heart attack and several strokes. He has lost much of his mobility and the ability to speak, but remains cheerful and relatively active, residing among the aged poor at Ma Maison St-Joseph.

Variations on a New Generation was shown on CFCF TV on September 17. It included a spectacular breakdance piece by Concordia Dance student K8 Alsterlund. The film features four talented young dancers, and Journalism lecturer Barry Lazar did the research and interviews.

Ross Perigoe (Journalism) made it into the news four times in one week earlier this month: in The Globe and Mail (describing the choice of Shelagh Rogers as CBC morning host as inspired), in Mike Boone’s Gazette column on the cancellation of Star Trek on CFCF-12, on Global about the first watch outside the Trudeau residence, and on CBC about a local swap of private radio stations.

When Pierre Trudeau died on September 28, a number of Concordians were asked for their views. Rector Frederick Lowy was interviewed on CTV (Canada AM), Radio-Canada (Le midi), Global (This Morning Live), and CFJP-TV (Le grand journal). Daniel Salée (School of Community and Public Affairs was on TVA/LCN’s Ce matin and Global’s evening news. Graeme Decarie (History) and Board member Marianna Simeone were on CJAD and Global TV.

La Presse kicked off their new their new Actuel section with a three-page feature titled “La bourse ou la vie” on alternate lifestyles by Marie-Claude Malboeuf. Prominently featured were Concordia professors David Howes, Bill Bukowski and Léandre Bergeron.