News
Application Period is now closed for the 2025-2026 academic year.
News Archive
SASAH students present in Storyhouse finale
In November 2023, three SASAH students - Giselle D’Anna (International Relations, second year), Felix Gu (first year), and Kenzie Kilmer (English, second year) - participated in the Storyhouse finale at Conron Hall. Hosted by the Faculty of Health Sciences, Storyhouse uses creative storytelling to share published research with those who can put the knowledge into action. At the finale, presenters shared fifteen stories that integrated knowledge mobilization, science communication, narrative theory, and performance studies. The students were supervised by James Shelley.
To read more about Storyhouse, click here.
SASAH students launch Linger, Volume 13 of ICONOCLAST
In January 2024, SASAH students Sophia Heppenstall, Paniz Vedavarz, Anthony Tran, and Zoe Port, along with their co-director Jules Lee, launched Linger, volume 13 of the student publication ICONOCLAST. A "testament to where we all came from and how we've gotten to where we are now", Linger explores the things we hold on to, and the things we let go.
To learn more about ICONOCLAST, click here.
SASAH student Gray Brogden named 2023-2024 Student Writer-in-Residence
Gray Brogden, SASAH class of 2024, was named Western's Student Writer-in-Residence for the 2023-2024 school year. Established more than 10 years ago, the Student Writer-in-Residence program provides support for an accomplished undergraduate writer, while allowing other students to benefit from the writer's creativity, expertise, and organizational skills. Congratulations, Gray!
To read more about Gray and the SWIR program, click here.
SASAH alumna Bridget Koza earns Highly Commended recognition at 2023 Global Undergraduate Awards
Bridget Koza, SASAH class of 2023, was recognized in the Highly Commended category at the 2023 Global Undergraduate Awards for her work in Visual Arts. Highly Commended entrants rank in the top 10% of submissions in their category. Congratulations, Bridget!
Learn more about the awards here.
SASAH student interns with Halton Black History Awareness Society for their Emancipation Art Exhibit
For her curatorial internship with the Halton Black History Awareness Society (HBHAS), Grace Dilawri (SASAH class of 2025) created a video to promote their sixth annual Emancipation Art Exhibit in Georgetown, and to share her experiences at her internship. You can watch the video above.
To read more about the emancipation art exhibition, click here.
GoFacepaint: Providing Affordable and Professional Face Painting Services for Unforgettable Celebrations
By Jane Weller, Morrissette Institute
Embark on a captivating journey with GoFacepaint, third-year Siobhan Kelly's student venture that has blossomed into an exceptional enterprise.
Celebrating the class of 2023
Congratulations SASAH class of 2023. You should be proud of your hard work and dedication that have led you to this moment. You deserve all the successes that come your way as you continue to strive towards your goals. Special congratulations to our students receiving the following awards: Catherine Cassels (Gold Medal, Art History), Bridget Koza (Gold Medal, Art History & Studio Art), Bridget Leslie (Gold Medal, French Studies), Tiffany Lin (Kristen Brady Memorial Prize), Celine Tsang (Gold Medal, SASAH; Gold Medal, Linguistics; Governor General’s Silver Medal; Bentley Scholarship and Gold Medal in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities), and Sophie Wu (Gold Medal, Mathematics).
SASAH Students Admitted Into Morrissette Entrepreneurship Founders Program
Second-year SASAH students Siobhan Kelly and Kathleena Henricus have each been admitted to the prestigious Founder's Program, which is run by Western's Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Morrissette’s Founders Program is a 3-year program that includes mentorship, education, and funding. The total award value for each student is $20,000, which is distributed over three years. Entrance into the Founders Program is awarded to 10 full-time, second-year students at Western or an affiliated college who have a desire to be entrepreneurial in their chosen field, demonstrate high engagement with entrepreneurship activities at Western, and are academic achievers.
Congratulations to Siobhan and Kathleena!
Fall 2022 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to our SASAH students whose great achievements have been acknowledged with scholarships and awards in Fall 2022. We are so proud and delighted that you have received this recognition.
Parsa Albeheshti, Siobhan Kelly, Bridget Koza, Devin Lam, Asha Saha, Celine Tsang
Celebrating the class of 2022.
SASAH celebrates the graduating class of 2022. In the face of unprecedented challenges, our students proved that they are able not only to stand against adversity, but to thrive despite it. Special congratulations to the Gold Medal winners: Alex Rozenberg (SASAH), Kaitlyn Lonnee (Creative Writing & English Language and Literature), Jamie Scoler (Political Science). Fall 2021 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to our SASAH students whose great achievements have been recognized with scholarships and awards in Fall 2021. Last year brought new and difficult challenges, and you shone in the face of adversity.
Julia Albert, Reese Berlin Bromstein, Gray Brogden, Matthew Dawkins, Bridget Koza, Joyce Leung, Alex Rozenberg, Celine Tsang, Cole Van der Velden: well done!
SASAH student recognized by Global Undergraduate Awards
SASAH alumna Jade Rozal (class of 2021) was Highly Commended for philosophy by the world's leading undergraduate awards programme.
2nd Year SASAH student to publish novel
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Matthew Dawkins on his upcoming book, 'Until We Break', to be released Winter 2022.
Artists respond to the wind, and the work of Northern Tornadoes Project
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'Written on the Earth' exhibit coordinated by SASAH Director and professor, Patrick Mahon, also includes his own work.
"Innovation Works, Thank you for Everything"
By Julia Campbell
In a recent fit of nostalgia, I attempted to recall the best moments of my last five years: those that stood out as having changed my life irrevocably for the better. Immediately, one moment in particular came to mind: the rainy day in January 2018 that I walked through the front doors of Innovation Works for the first time.
London Neighbourhood Histories: Old East Village’s Artistic Roots Run Deep
By Amelia Eqbal, SASAH alumni
Defined by its historic roots and indomitable spirit, London, ON’s Old East Village exudes a unique and timeless charm. Photo by John Tamblyn.
Congratulations to Sophia Belyk and Sarah Charette who placed in the Highly Commended category at the 2020 Global Undergraduate Awards. To hear about their award winning essays, please click on the links below.
Writer-in-residence coaches others to find their voices
By Courtney Ward-Zbeetnoff
SASAH student Courtney Ward-Zbeetnoff, the 2020-21 Student Writer-in-Residence, had the opportunity to interview Alicia Elliott, the Arts and Humanities Writer-in-Residence about her craft and her hopes for her residency this year. This article was published in the Western News.
Volunteer Spotlight: Azadeh Odlin
From the CCLC Volunteer Newsletter
Second year SASAH student, Azadeh Odlin, has been giving back to the London community since moving here three years ago. She is a volunteer with the Cross Cultural Learning Centre and was recently highlighted in their newsletter.
Education without liberal arts is a threat to humanity, argues UBC president
By Sean Foley, CBC Radio, January 14, 2020
Santa J. Ono says studying the liberal arts made him a better scholar, scientist, teacher and father.
Course, exhibition turn spotlight to TIFF
By Debora Van Brenk, Western News, November 28, 2019
A new course examining film festivals has debuted to rave reviews worthy of an interdisciplinary blockbuster. Read the full article
The world’s top economists just made the case for why we still need English majors
By Heather Long, The Washington Post, October 19, 2019
As humanities majors slump to the lowest level in decades, calls are coming from surprising places for a revival. Some prominent economists are making the case for why it still makes a lot of sense to major (or at least take classes) in humanities alongside more technical fields. Read the full article
In the Salary Race, Engineers Sprint but English Majors Endure
By David Deming, The New York Times, October 1, 2019
The advantage for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors fades steadily after their first jobs, and by age 40 the earnings of people who majored in fields like social science or history have caught up. Read the full article
Student doc highlights Indigenous soldier’s legacy
By Deb Van Brenk , Western News , July 01, 2019
Pte. Arnold Logan is profiled in For Home and Native Land, a 30-minute SASAH student-produced documentary examining not only Logan’s life and sacrifice, but highlighting the legacy of Indigenous soldiers.
Read the full article
Kigali, Rwanda
Read the inspiring stories from SASAH students Lexie, Misha, Mickey, Olivia and Veronica, who spent five weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, as part of their SASAH course. https://fre3140rwanda2019.wordpress.com/
Unearthing the forgotten
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Whose names and stories do we remember? How do we choose which to preserve? How – and why – do we perpetuate those that we remember? Western student historians working at Woodland Cemetery grappled with these questions and more as they worked toward curating “Lost & Found,” a guided historical walking tour that resurrects stories of individuals buried in the cemetery’s Potter’s Fields. Read more
SASAH alumni named a finalist in SSHRC contest
May 2018
Celebrity Soirée: An Evening with Lainey Lui and SASAH
April 6, 2018
SASAH Director honoured with Distinguished University Professorship
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Former SASAH Director honoured with Edward G. Pleva Award for Excellence in Teaching
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Alterna Savings Supports SASAH
March 2018
Alterna Savings and Credit Union Limited has given $25,000 to Western University’s School for Advanced Studies in the Arts and Humanities (SASAH), to help develop future leaders who are committed to bettering communities at home and around the world.
SASAH is a reinvention of the traditional models of the University Arts and Science programs. The school’s mandate is to blur the lines between disciplines to better equip students with the ability to develop creative insights in developing sustainable solutions to complex global issues. These include solutions to problems around political and social inequity, environmental sustainability, and access to healthcare in developing countries.
SASAH Student named Rhodes Scholar
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Levi Hord, a fourth-year Sexuality Studies, School for Advanced Studies in Arts & Humanities (SASAH) and Scholar’s Electives student, has been named a recipient of the 2018 Rhodes Scholarship, an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford. Levi is Western’s 23rd Rhodes Scholar.
'Sasha? What's that?' Defining the undefinable
By Prem Sai Ramani,
"Defining SASAH is like trying to predict the weather. You can only truly know its state in the moment and guess with varying certainty about its future. It’s dynamic, shifting and influenced by the university zeitgeist and the experiences of the students." Fourth year SASAH student Prem shares his experience in the School for Advanced Studies in the Arts & Humanities.
Along for her 'exciting ride'
Impact Western, September 2017
In her first year, Avery Lafortune jumped at the opportunity to take part in Alternative Spring Break in the Dominican Republic. In her second year, she spent five weeks participating in a community service learning opportunity in Rwanda. In her third year, she spent a semester abroad studying at the University of Sydney in Australia. Just this past summer, the recent School for Advanced Studies in Arts & Humanities (SASAH) graduate, joined the Vindolanda Field School for a six-week, immersive, hands-on Roman archeological dig in England.
