Turning Point with Priya Sam

 

We are thrilled to partner with alumna Priya Sam (Broadcast Journalism ’06) on the second season of her innovative podcast and YouTube show – Turning Point.

In each episode, Priya interviews a guest about a major turning point in their life. The turning points are as diverse as the guests; some stem from big decisions or taking a leap of faith, while others are rooted in tragedy or unexpected obstacles. All are inspiring. Throughout this season, Priya will interview three influential Fanshawe College Alumni.

About Priya Sam

Before starting Turning Point, Priya was the news anchor on CTV's national morning show, Your Morning, alongside Ben Mulroney and Anne-Marie Mediwake. Before that she was the news anchor for CTV Morning Live Atlantic broadcast out of Halifax.

Fanshawe Alumni episodes

Episode #1: Cheryl Hickey 

You likely recognize alumna Cheryl Hickey (Broadcast Journalism ’96) from ET Canada. She has been hosting the show since it launched in 2005 and in this first episode of Turning Point season two, you'll find out how late nights spent learning to do camera work and editing eventually led to Cheryl getting her big break.


Episode #2: Erika Casupanan

Fanshawe alumna Erika Casupanan is the first Canadian and the first person of Filipino descent EVER to win Survivor. She's also the first woman to win in several seasons and in this episode, you'll get all the details about her strategy and what was going on behind the scenes during the show. 


Episode #3: Dionne Sinclair

Dionne Sinclair is VP Clinical Operations and the Chief Nurse at CAMH, Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital. Her biggest turning point happened when she was laid off from her job as a nurse. At the time, she had two young kids and decided to move back in with her parents so she could go to university. She already had a diploma from Fanshawe College and getting her degree would open doors for her in healthcare leadership. 


Episode #4: Bridget George

Bridget George is an an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. Their debut book is a dual Language, English and Ojibwe children’s book, called “It’s a Mitig.” In this episode, Bridget opens up about taking an unconventional path. As a teen, Bridget was experiencing mental health issues and was expelled from high school but was determined to get an education. They went back and got their GED and then went on to study Graphic Design at Fanshawe College. The idea for "It's a Mitig" came as Bridget was preparing for the birth of their son, Noah. They wanted Noah to be surrounded by positive Indigenous representation and to learn Anishinabemowin. When Bridget couldn't find the books they were looking for, they decided to write their own. You'll hear more about Bridget's journey to being an author along with how they started to reconnect with their Indigenous heritage in this first episode of Season 3. 


Episode #5: Leroy Hibbert

Leroy Hibbert is a speaker, workshop facilitator and community educator. He delivers messages of anti-racism, anti-bullying, and cross-cultural conflict and understanding to community and civic organizations, police services, schools and businesses. Through his work, he hopes to help people understand how to identify racism, interrupt it, and take action to create a more inclusive community. In this interview you'll learn about Leroy's work and also about his personal experiences with racism and why he's passionate about the work he does. 


Episode #6: Emm Gryner

Emm Gryner is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and best-selling author. Emm sang and played keyboard in David Bowie’s band, and appears on numerous recordings with him.  In this episode, we take a trip through Emm's biggest turning points including: getting her first record deal and being dropped by her label, touring with David Bowie, becoming a mother, getting divorced and finding new love and inspiration for her new album. Emm is down to earth and relatable and she shares valuable insight about what she's learned from each of her pivotal moments. 


Episode #7: Haviah Mighty

Based out of Brampton via Toronto, Haviah Mighty is a songwriter, vocalist, producer, and performer. Her music is complex and unique with rap, song, and instrumentals transitioning seamlessly from hip-hop to soul to Afrobeats. Haviah's biggest turning point happened in 2016 when she was part of a rap cypher that went viral. That moment gave her the confidence she needed to pour all of her energy into music and pursue it as a career. Haviah's next big milestone happened in 2019 when she became the first hip-hop artist and the first Black woman to win the Polaris Music prize. Two years later, she won a JUNO and made history again as the first woman to ever win the Rap Album of the Year category. You'll hear more about those big moments and how Haviah's foundation at Fanshawe College helped pave the way for the success she continues to have today. 


Follow us on social media @fanshawealumni for announcements of future alumni guests.

 

 

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