Cape Breton Accents

Episode 13 - Scholarships, Science and Stepping into New Opportunities with Ava Graham

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President Dingwall sits down with Ava Graham, a standout student whose CBU experience is defined by curiosity, leadership and a few unexpected pivots along the way.

Ava reflects on her journey from a spontaneous application to CBU to earning the prestigious Chancellor’s Scholarship, leading as Vice-President ...

Communication, Leadership and Listening with Dr. Felix Odartey-Wellington

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President David C. Dingwall sits down with Dr. Felix Odartey-Wellington, Chair of Senate and full professor of Communication at Cape Breton University.

With a background in law, advocacy and broadcasting, Dr. Odartey-Wellington brings a unique global perspective to his teaching and leadership at CBU. He discusses the rol...

Pretty Philip - From Sea to CBU

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President Dingwall sits down with Pretty Philip, a Bachelor of Business Administration student at Cape Breton University with a focus in Human Resources.

From her roots in southern India to navigating oil tankers around the world, Pretty brings a truly global perspective to campus. In this heartfelt conversation, she shares her story of a long-standing connectio...

Recreation for all: Garrett Nicholson

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President Dingwall sits down with Garrett Nicholson, Coordinator of Recreation and Sports at Cape Breton University, for a fun and insightful conversation about student life, inclusion and the role of recreation in building community.

Garrett shares how his own journey, from playing baseball in the US to leading recreation at CBU, inspired his passion for ...

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President Dingwall sits down with CBU Bachelor of Social Work graduate, Alex Orychock, for a heartfelt conversation about resilience, purpose and the power of staying close to home.

Born and raised in Whitney Pier, Alex shares how personal challenges and a desire to help others led him to pursue social work. As a member of the program’s inaugural cohort, he reflects on the hands-on learning, s...

Episode 8: Lynn LeVatte – Preparing Educators for a Changing World

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President David Dingwall is joined by Dr. Lynn LeVatte, Assistant Professor in CBU’s School of Education, to explore how educators are being prepared for the classrooms of today and tomorrow.

Dr. LeVatte shares insights on CBU’s Bachelor and Master of Education programs, emphasizing the importance of preparing educators through ...

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President Dingwall sits down with William Bowers as he shares his powerful journey from South Africa to Canada. Driven by his early experiences growing up during apartheid, William was determined to pursue a career focused on community upliftment, a goal that led him to Cape Breton University’s MBA in Community Economic Development program.

William reflects on the cultural differences he exper...

Ben Smith – Playing it Forward

In this heartwarming episode of Cape Breton Accents, President Dingwall sits down with Ben Smith, a two-time CBU Alumnus and last year’s valedictorian. Raised in Curaçao and now finishing his second degree at CBU, Ben shares how music, community and mentorship have shaped his experience both inside and outside the classroom.

From his decision to move to Cape Breton, to the deep impact of his professor...

Shashwat Trivedi – Rooted in Community

In this episode, President Dingwall sits down with Shashwat Trivedi, a CBU alumni and the University’s Communications and Social Media Specialist. Originally from India, Shashwat shares his journey from international student to full-blown Caper.

Together, they reflect on Cape Breton’s deep sense of community, the challenges and triumphs of navigating permanent residency and the power of auth...

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, President David Dingwall sits down with award-winning Mi’kmaq musician, Morgan Toney. Known for blending traditional Mi’kmaq songs with Cape Breton’s fiddling tradition, Morgan’s music has gained national and international recognition.

They discuss how CBU helped shape Morgan’s passion for music, learning the Mi’kmaq language through song and what makes CBU such a welcoming place to study.

Lear...

In this episode of Cape Breton Accents, we sit down with Rabiat Yusuf, an international student from Nigeria who has embraced every opportunity at Cape Breton University. Rabiat shares her experience adjusting to life in Canada, working on campus and the steps she’s taking on her path to Permanent Residency.

Tune in to hear about the challenges and triumphs of studying abroad, the importance of community and how CBU is helping stud...

Welcome to the very first episode of Cape Breton Accents!

In this debut episode, Cape Breton University President and Vice-Chancellor, David Dingwall, sits down with CBU student, Nolan Neville. Nolan shares his journey to Cape Breton University, what it’s like to be part of a university that feels like family and how his role in the Welcome Centre helps new students navigate life at CBU.

From balancing athletics with academics to...