Meet Kathy Ullyott. A seasoned media professional with a love for storytelling and education, she is the Chair of the Media & Communication Studies program at the University of Guelph-Humber. Find out about her professional journey, as well as what she’s passionate about outside of work – and even what she’s been watching on TV lately with our feathered pal, Swoop.
Q: As the Chair of the Media & Communication Studies program here at the University of Guelph-Humber, you are a seasoned professional in the industry with keen leadership skills. What can you tell us about your career journey in becoming Chair?
A: I knew I wanted to pursue a career in media from around the mid-point of high school. I went to the University of Saskatchewan to earn a bachelor of arts degree in English Lit, and then moved to London, Ont., to complete a master of arts in journalism at the University of Western Ontario. From there, I spent two decades in print journalism, starting at the Canadian Press, and writing and holding senior editorial positions at magazines such as Flare, Canadian Living and Homemakers. At one point, I spent three years at the global public relations firm Continental Golin Harris, which is now Weber Shandwick.
With a keen interest in helping shape the next generation of media professionals, plus expanding my range of knowledge into areas like photography, design, and content strategy, I took on the opportunity to create a holistic media experience for Guelph-Humber students as the Assistant Program Head in 2013. That year, I created a massive, multidisciplinary project that would involve the entire fourth-year Media Studies class – EMERGE.
Now I am the Chair of MCS and it’s extremely rewarding.
Q: You received your master’s degree in journalism from Western University. What originally drew you to studying journalism when you were a student?
A: I’d always loved writing, but I fell in love with magazines the summer I turned 12, driving back from swimming lessons with my cousins and aunt. They had a pile of teen magazines in the back seat, and I was hooked. About that time – mid-70s – Watergate broke, and Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein not only were international heroes but demonstrated the importance of the press in democracy. That was it for me. (In a fantastic full-circle kind of way, I had the opportunity to hear Woodward and Bernstein speak in person in 2022, at a College Media Association conference in Washington.)
Q: If you could have dinner with any three media personalities, digital creators, or journalists in the world, who would they be and why?
A: I’m picking historical figures because I would be fascinated to find out their views and perspectives on current events and how societies have changed since they were writing.
- Margaret Ecker. She was a Canadian war correspondent during World War II, and the only woman sent overseas by the Canadian Press and the only woman present at Germany’s official surrender in 1945. I would love to ask her not only about details of her experiences in such a male-dominated (as most were) industry, but also her reaction to how women’s roles and rights have evolved to where they are now – especially in the armed services, with women serving in senior and combat roles.
- Katharine Graham. As the publisher of the Washington Post from 1963 to 1991, Graham is arguably the most legendary media personality of the last century (of any gender). I would LOVE to ask for her insight into the current journalism crisis, the fracturing of media credibility in the age of social media and what she would do to address the current misinformation/disinformation crisis.
- Emilia (Bassano) Lanier. Was the real author of Shakespeare’s plays a woman? Specifically, was it Emilia Lanier? This is fringe theory according to most Shakespearean scholars, but there’s some serious (and fun) speculation that it’s possible. So, I’d ask her: Did you? (If so, I’d argue that she’s the most influential content creator in the history of the English language.)
Q: What are some hobbies you enjoy outside of work?
A: Reading, mostly fiction (I’ve been on a classics kick over the past year); gardening (I grow and dry my own herbs); needlework, especially cross stitch; and travelling – my jobs have taken me to amazing places in Europe and New Zealand, but also countries such as Afghanistan and El Salvador, which I likely wouldn’t have visited outside work.
Q: Finally, I heard that you and our mascot, Swoop, have been binge-watching some TV shows together at his nest. What are your favourite shows you’re tuning into right now?
A: Swoop and I loved The White Lotus (although they were a bit rattled by the monkeys) and Severance, especially the Outdoor Retreat and Team Building Occurrence, which reminded them of their natural habitat and was about, you know, team building. We’re now into Season 2 of The Last of Us and really looking forward to the final season of You. We usually watch Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (loved the episode on Netherlands’ Fish Doorbell, especially since we fell in love with Netherlands on Study Abroad last year.)