Abby Ives still remembers opening The Hate U Give as a teenager and feeling her perspective widen with every page. A few years later, that same young adult novel would lead her to research book censorship in Atlantic Canada, work that has now helped earn the St. Francis Xavier University honours English student $57,000 in major graduate funding.
The awards include a $27,000 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council master’s scholarship and a $30,000 C. David Naylor University Fellowship at the University of Toronto, where she will begin a Master of Arts in English this fall. The fellowship is open to all MA and PhD students across disciplines with ties to Atlantic Canada.
Together, the awards recognize academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement.
“It was super exciting to get the news,” says Ms. Ives of Stratford, PEI, who graduates in May from StFX. “It’s nice to feel recognized for the work that I’ve done.”
Her path to her honours thesis began in a second-year English course at StFX, when she learned that The Hate U Give, a book that had opened such new perspective for her had been banned at a Halifax school. She remembers the impact reading the story about a main character of similar age but vastly different life experience. “To see that different perspective was eye-opening. It changed so much for me.”
Ms. Ives said she had thought book censorship was more of a U.S. issue but realized it’s happening here too.
What began as a class paper eventually grew into her thesis project examining how and why books are challenged in Atlantic Canadian high schools. Ms. Ives interviewed teachers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, conducted close readings of frequently challenged texts, and analyzed national research on censorship trends. Her work highlights how restrictions on books can limit students’ exposure to diverse voices and ideas.
Her thesis supervisor, StFX English professor, and Canada Research Chair in Digital Humanities, Dr. Laura Estill, says the project stands out for its originality and relevance.
“Abby’s research is both original and timely,” says Dr. Estill who noted it has been a pleasure working with Ms. Ives over these past few years. “Abby’s work shows the ongoing importance of humanities research at StFX. I am proud of Abby and her research and can’t wait to see what her next steps bring.”
Ms. Ives has certainly been active across campus, working as a research assistant with Dr. Estill, serving as co-president of the English Society, and helping organize the Digital Humanities Summer Institute-East with Margaret Vail and Dr. Estill. She has also presented her research at StFX’s Student Research Day and received an Irving Oil Research Mentorship Award to support her work. Outside the classroom, she has played rugby and soccer, step-danced for 16 years, and is a fiddler.
StFX Interim Dean of Arts Dr. Wojciech Tokarz says Ms. Ives' success is a testament to the outstanding calibre of students who choose StFX's Faculty of Arts. “As an English honours student, Abby benefited from the close mentorship that defines the Department of English, and her individual achievements reflect the very best of what that experience can produce,” he says. “At StFX, our students are challenged, supported, and inspired by a dedicated faculty committed to academic excellence, and Abby's remarkable accomplishments are a shining example of where that commitment leads.”
Dr. Erin Morton, Associate Vice-President, Research, Graduate, and Professional Studies, says StFX honours students are conducting world-class research that is preparing them for top tier graduate programs across Canada and beyond.
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Ms. Ives, who had initially considered studying psychology, was drawn to English after taking a first year course at StFX with Dr. Kailin Wright. She recalls the encouragement and positive feedback she received from her professor that, coupled with a lifelong interest in reading and writing, inspired her to continue.
By her second year she had taken a number of English classes and “loved them all,” drawn to analyzing texts and debating their meanings.
“The faculty in the English Department are amazing,” she says as she notes the inspiration and mentorship her professors have provided.
Her experiences at StFX have been foundational, she adds, helping build both her confidence and her leadership skills.
As she prepares to start her master’s degree, Ms. Ives is considering two potential career paths: working in education policy or entering the publishing industry in Atlantic Canada.
“I’d like to come back to work in Atlantic Canada. I’m interested in how students learn,” she says. She also wants to be able to play a role in uplifting people and making space for diverse voices.
