Faculty of Arts: What degree and program are you graduating with?

Emma Winram: A Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in philosophy. I chose this program because I’ve always loved reading English literature and philosophical texts, and I wanted to improve my writing and argumentative skills at the university level. It also complements nicely with my wish to attend law school. One key piece of knowledge I will take away from my studies is learning to critically analyze texts, arguments and other forms of media I face in my everyday life.

Did you explore any writing opportunities outside of class?

I worked for The Manitoban as a copy editor this past year, working late nights preparing the paper for print and editing/fact-checking articles every weekend—it was an unforgettable experience. I also had the privilege of attending NASH87: Canada’s Largest Student Journalism Conference in Hamilton, ON in February where I met enthusiastic student journalists and professionals. It was an amazing networking experience. My time at The Manitoban improved my writing skills significantly, allowing me to formulate better essays for my classes and build communication skills that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Were you involved in any student groups?

I was involved with the University of Manitoba Pre-Law Society for a few years and served in multiple roles. This year I served as Vice President. Through hosting many events like law student/lawyer panels, networking events and free LSAT prep workshops, we were able to bring our membership up from 40 members in September to around 300 by April! The connections and the skills I have built from being a part of this club have made my undergraduate experience invaluable.

Describe a challenge you encountered during your undergrad?

A challenge I dealt with was making sure to manage my time efficiently while prioritizing my mental health. Being so involved on campus and juggling my schoolwork was a lot to fit into my schedule. I kept reminding myself that this work would pay off in the end and that my busy schedule was only temporary. It helped that I had good friends who were also a part of the teams I was involved in, and I had endless support from my family. I would not have been able to do it all without them.

Any big plans for after graduation?

I have been chosen as one of six people for the Manitoba Legislative Assembly Internship Program for the 2025/26 year, starting in September and running until June. My duties as an intern will be receiving assignments and direction from my assigned Caucus. Some of the tasks I may be performing are short and long-term research projects, writing briefing papers, handling constituency matters, writing questions for Question Period, and other clerical tasks. There is also an academic component where I will be attending seminars and writing a research paper. I hope to understand the process of passing a Bill more extensively and be involved with the process as that will only help me in my planned future legal career here in Manitoba.

Winram will convocate along with fellow Faculty of Arts undergraduate students in two ceremonies on June 4, 2025.

Learn more about the departments of English, Theatre, Film & Media and Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts.

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UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. 3058 degrees are being awarded at Spring Convocation 2025 (over 620 are from the Faculty of Arts), bringing the total number of UM graduates to 4200 so far this year. Many of these new alumni will stay in Manitoba, supplying high-demand skills to the labour market and contributing to UM’s $7.3 billion economic impact on our community.

Editor’s note: Faculty of Arts students have been selected for the Manitoba Legislative Assembly Internship Program almost every year since its inception. Since 1985, over 200 individuals have served as Legislative Interns, with many going on to careers in law, senior levels of the Civil Service, public advocacy groups, the business sector, NGOs, academia and elected officials.

What were the TOP THREE shows you were involved with as part of your studies?

1. Arcadia by Tom Stoppard, Directed by Margaret Groome.
   I was the stage manager for this mainstage show. This one was such a big learning experience for me in terms of self-growth. It helped me become more organized as an individual and learn where I valued my time.
2. Drowning Ophelia by Rachel Luann Strayer, Directed by me!
   This is one of my absolute favourites and a fabulous show I had the opportunity to direct as part of the Lunchbhagg (student production) season. I learned a lot about leadership and how others work to create a piece, as opposed to the internal creation of an actor.
3. Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, Directed by Katrina Dunn.
   I played Dromio of Ephesus and was also the set designer. This was kind of my senior moment in the theatre program and last show. It was great to get back to acting in a larger role, I am at my best when I have the structure of a rehearsal schedule.

What were the TOP THREE best things about being a theatre and film student?

1. The ability to escape from everyday life as a student and immerse myself in a show.
2. Talking about film and theatre in classes. A lot of it is up for interpretation and there is no one correct answer.
3. The professors – they truly care about the students.

During his degree, Chance completed an internship with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s Stage Manager Apprenticeship program. Chance – what were the TOP THREE things you learned during the internship?

1. How to work in a team in a professional environment.
2. That a stage manager is like a conductor who helps the technical side and the acting side branch together.
3. How important communication is in the workplace. It is not just what you communicate, but how you communicate.

What are your TOP THREE tips for theatre and film students?

1. ENJOY your time in university. Don’t overstress about the future, it’s ok not having everything figured out or to change your mind once you think you do.
2. GO TO CLASS. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take something away each and every time, even a life lesson or a fun fact.
3. Making art is such a fulfilling and fun experience.

This summer, catch Chance’s one-man-show, The Apricot Tree, at the 2025 Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival—a new play he is writing, producing and starring in. The production is directed by fellow UM student Sam Fergus. “The show is about how we might come to terms with death and understand our role as friends while dealing with loss”, says Chance. “You will laugh, you will cry, and hopefully you will walk out looking at life a little differently.”

Congratulations to Chance on the culmination of his creative journey at UM—here’s to exciting projects and performances ahead!

Learn more about the Department of English, Theatre, Film & Media in the Faculty of Arts.

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UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. 3058 degrees are being awarded at Spring Convocation 2025 (over 620 are from the Faculty of Arts), bringing the total number of UM graduates to 4200 so far this year. Many of these new alumni will stay in Manitoba, supplying high-demand skills to the labour market and contributing to UM’s $7.3 billion economic impact on our community.

“As corny as it sounds, I truly feel like this program chose me more than I chose it,” said Chin. “Intro to Theatre quickly became the highlight of my week, and I realized it was all I wanted to spend my time doing. So, I did!”

“Something that has always stood out to me in the theatre program is how close everyone gets,” Chin continued. “The work we do is inherently emotionally vulnerable, so it makes sense we’d be friendly. What I didn’t expect was how many deep friendships I would cultivate that went beyond the classroom. The students and professors genuinely root for each other. I have professors who have come to every single show I have done outside of university productions! You don’t get that everywhere. It’s special.”

When asked about what had the most impact on her during her time at UM, Chin revealed it was, “being given a safe space to learn how to fail.” It seems this provided lessons on the stage, in the classroom and in life. “I know that sounds bizarre when talking about school, but stick with me here. Something you learn early on in theatre is the idea of “instant forgiveness”. It basically means that when you’re up on that stage, if you make a mistake, the only real way to deal with it is to instantly forgive yourself and move on. Dwelling on the errors does nothing for you, but learning to accept that it happened and keep going is where you truly learn. I’ve always been a bit of a perfectionist (every one of my professors that reads this will be nodding along right now, I’m sure) and learning to let go of that was hard for me. But having safe spaces to screw up in and safe people to help me learn from it made all the difference, and I’ll always be grateful for that. I’m a better artist and a better person as a result.”

During her degree, Chin had the opportunity to both act and work behind the scenes in productions at UM such as Macbeth and Peer Gynt. Outside UM, she has already performed at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, MTC Warehouse (her first lead role), Prairie Theatre Exchange and The Citadel (Edmonton).

“Getting the opportunity to do huge productions while you’re still learning is incredibly valuable,” said Chin. “You can learn about acting all you want, but once you’re actually up there, it’s a totally different game. Both are essential and I’m thankful I got as much experience as I did at UM prior to making my way onto other stages.”

Learn more about the theatre program in the Department of English, Theatre, Film & Media.

In fall 2023, with the support of the Faculty of Arts’ Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund, students enrolled in the class used recycled beverage cans and electrical tape to create forty-six pinhole cameras. These cameras, distributed across the UM campus, and around the city and province, created a series of long-exposure solargraphs.

Solargraphs, which date back as early as the tenth century but gained wider popularity in the nineteenth century, document not only landscapes and architectural features but also trace the intricate patterns of the sun’s journey across the sky over an extended period of time.

Pinhole cameras. Credit: V. Warne

Generating solargraphic images is a time-consuming process. In October 2023, Professor Vanessa Warne, Department of English, Theatre, Film & Media and the students collected beverage cans, washed them, cut the tops off, and spray-painted them black – inside and out. They then paired a short can with a tall can and pierced the side of each tall can with a sewing pin. Using a red light, they placed a sheet of black and white photography paper in the tall can and then used a short can as a lid to seal the camera. The pinhole and the join between the tall and short cans were covered with electric tape to keep light out. The cameras were then installed inside or outside, on campus or beyond. Once the cameras were secured in place, the tape covering the pinhole was removed. Then they waited – for four months! Over reading week, students harvested their cameras and then made digital scans of the images captured by the cans. Some cans did not yield images; many cans did. Dr. Warne shares that the final results are, “intriguing and even haunting.”

“A way to map the passing of days, these rudimentary cameras are prompting members of the class to think differently about the duration of a day, a season, and an academic year,” said Dr. Warne. “By trying their hands at a nineteenth-century photographic process, the students are deepening their knowledge not only of the history of photography but also of the enmeshment, in both our era and in the Victorian era, of image making, storytelling, and timekeeping.”

What did the pinhole cameras capture in the four months of their installation? Visit the pop-up exhibition in room 627 Fletcher Argue Building (Haney Reading Room) on April 5^th to find out!