Fountain Memorial Lecture

On Monday, October 24, 2011, the list of illustrious presences to have graced the halls of King’s will gain a remarkable addition. At 7 PM in Alumni Hall, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean will deliver the first Alex Fountain Memorial Lecture.
The annual lecture is dedicated in memory of Alex Fountain, a former King’s student, by his parents, Fred and Elizabeth Fountain, and his sister, Katharine. In the wake of the 20-year-old’s tragic passing in August 2009, his family has shown incredible generosity to the King’s community through the lecture series and through donations to the recent renovations in the Wardroom.
The lecture gives King’s students the opportunity to vote on a guest speaker. During the winter term of 2011, students were invited to put forward their suggestions for this year’s speaker. The ten most popular candidates were determined by a team of volunteers, with notable contribution from Adriane Abbott of the Advancement Office. In a discussion that included the King’s Student Union, the Advancement Office Staff, former King’s President Dr. William Barker and the family of Alex Fountain, Mme Jean was selected as the most appropriate speaker.
Mme Jean, former Governor General of Canada, is the UNESCO Special Envoy for Haiti, as well as the co-president of the Michaëlle Jean Foundation. According to a recent press release from the University of King’s College, Mme Jean’s lecture, “Building Social Change Locally and Globally”, will express her belief that the promotion of an ethic of solidarity in Canada and around the world lies with today’s youth.
Gabe Hoogers, President of the KSU, is excited to be able to introduce Mme Jean as the choice of the student body. “She is a woman who has many diverse experiences, and can really speak to a number of issues,” he commented. Hoogers expressed hope that speakers of equal calibre will be chosen in years to come.
The lecture will be free, open to the public and followed by a brief question and answer session.