Loyalist College to honour Kenneth Jackson with Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award

Belleville, ON, May 10, 2024 – Loyalist College proudly announces Kenneth Jackson, investigative reporter for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), as the 2024 recipient of the Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award in recognition of his journalistic integrity, determination and profound social impact.

“We are honoured to present Kenneth Jackson with the Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award at this year’s Convocation,” says Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick. “Mr. Jackson’s determination and ability to leverage his career as a journalist as a means of driving change will inspire our graduates to pursue professional success with positive community impact.”

The Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award is presented each year during the college’s Convocation ceremonies, honouring a Loyalist graduate who has demonstrated outstanding professional leadership or, through volunteer service, has made an exceptional contribution to their community. A 2003 graduate of Loyalist’s Journalism program, Mr. Jackson is being honoured for his dedication to advocacy and relentless pursuit of the truth through journalism.

As an investigative journalist, Mr. Jackson has built a career exploring impactful stories that serve the public good. His powerful series “Death by Neglect” which aired on APTN exposed the tragic consequences of systemic issues within Ontario’s First Nations child welfare system. The series’ unflinching reporting led to pivotal changes in public policy and funding, earning Jackson the prestigious 2020 Michener Award for public service journalism.

“It’s an honour to be the 2024 recipient of the Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award,” says Mr. Jackson. “I can clearly remember my first day in the print journalism program more than two decades ago and how excited I was to become a reporter. I would not be where I am today without the professors who provided me every opportunity to do so. They instilled in me the cornerstones of journalism that I continue to apply in every story I do. I am a proud alumnus.”

The Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award was established by the College Board of Governors in 1998 in recognition of Mr. O’Neil’s leadership as Chair of the College’s Foundations for the New Millennium Campaign. Recipients are approved each year by the Board of Governors before presentation at Convocation.

For more information about Loyalist’s Convocation ceremonies, visit loyalistcollege.com/convocation.

About Loyalist College

Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope, Tyendinaga and Toronto, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities.

– 30 –

Contact:
Hannah Brown
Director of Marketing and Communications
613-921-0784
hbrown@loyalistcollege.com