Founded in 1987, Laurentian’s Francophone student newspaper, l'Orignal Déchaîné, has been a voice of French culture on campus for more than 35 years.
However, without a student available to take the lead, that voice quieted over the past two years. Enter Katherine Lehoux, a second-year student in the Business Administration program with a specialization in Entrepreneurship.
Lehoux, a Franco-Ontarienne from Sudbury with Laurentian alumni parents, found herself drawn to the revival of the paper, Laurentian said in a news release. The school said with a blend of “passion, tenacity, and an entrepreneurial spirit”, Lehoux applied to be the editor.
“I had heard about the need for a new editor in my first year and really wanted to take it on but I knew I had to prioritize finding my footing as a student,” she said. “When the job was still open in my second year, it felt like it was meant to be. I felt like it was waiting for me, so I jumped on it.”
Lehoux’s high school experience at École secondaire MacDonald Cartier included contributing to Le Voyageur’s Le Tapage, a series of stories written by high school students across the region.
This early exposure to writing and journalism had left a lasting impression on her, a press release from Laurentian states, though she says her interest in L’Orignal Déchaîné holds deeper meaning.
"I see so much power in the newspaper to unite our community, " Lehoux said, reflecting on her decision to take on the paper. “I’m an outgoing person who loves meeting people. I saw this as a chance to connect with the student body and provide something valuable.”
L’Orignal Déchaîné has both a print version and an online version. The print copy is distributed on the first of every month, while online content is updated as events unfold.
The print copy has been scaled down to a more smaller size — reminiscent of Coffee News — to start. Lehoux’s wider goal is to build a robust team of student-contributors and grow readership, she said in the release.
“I’m eager to build up the Francophone community here,” she said. “This is a way to create kinship among French-speaking students, offer a platform where bilingual students can enhance their language skills, and encourage interest for ‘French-curious’ students.”
The first physical copy of the revived newspaper hit the stands earlier this month, and the response has been positive, Laurentian said.
