by Peter Johansen
Jennie Russell never really thought about fencing as a sport for her until she read Carleton’s viewbook for prospective students. She was looking for ideas about extracurricular activities, and zeroed in on a brief reference to fencing.
“That looked good, so I went with a friend to a beginners’ class,” says the third-year student in Journalism and Global Politics, who admits most of what she knew about the sport came from movies that don’t often get things right. “I just really fell in love with it. It’s the smartest decision I’ve made at Carleton, because it’s really fun and I’ve met an incredible group of people I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
Beginners were encouraged to try out for the varsity team, she says. She made the cut. “It was daunting, but the coaches are really friendly and open to helping out,” Jennie says.
She specializes in sabre (fencers can also do epee or foil). She’s been part of the women’s bronze-medal sabre team at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) finals for the past two years, and she personally ranked in the top 10 at a tournament last year at Brock University. The next OUA finals will be held Feb. 5-6 at Royal Military College.
“I like sabre because it’s faster paced than foil or epee, more exciting to watch,” she explains. “It’s pretty thrilling to be part of it.”
Growing up in Oakwood, Ont., Jennie thought about studying creative writing in university. But after interning at the nearby Lindsay Daily Post during high school, she fell in love with journalism. That sealed her decision to attend Carleton.
“It’s important to make an impact in the world,” she says, “and when you combine that with a love of writing, journalism makes sense.” But she continues creative writing, mostly poetry, at home.
Because Global Politics is the only program of its kind in Canada, Jennie is on track to becoming the first graduate in Canada with a combined honours in that subject and Journalism.
“Global Politics complements Journalism,” she notes. “You have to have a general knowledge of what’s going on in the world. Without it, you won’t be a very good journalist.”