As part of Cape Breton University's 50th Anniversary celebrations, the Anniversary Scholar Awards support pioneering research projects across the University. One of five recipients, Dr. Kevin McKague, Canada Research Chair in Social Enterprise and Inclusive Markets and Associate Professor at the Shannon School of Business, received a $10,000 award to lead a project in partnership with the Beaton Institute and Heritage Cape Breton Connection. Among the team of research students working closely with the Beaton Institute and Dr. McKague, Sarah Munro and Quinn Rowe are uncovering the lesser-known stories and materials that make up the business history of Cape Breton.
Sarah, a third-year Bachelor of Arts student from Sydney River majoring in English, has worked part-time as a student assistant at the Beaton Institute. Her role in digitizing archival materials introduced her to Dr. McKague's publication research project. "Every digitization project at the archive allows me to improve my skills and increases my exposure to different resources and information," Sarah says.
Currently, in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History, Quinn got involved in the project during a work term at the Beaton Institute. "Dr. McKague's research on early Cape Breton businesses was a fun experience, which helped me learn about the various communities, both rural and urban, and the people of the past who participated in those areas," shares Quinn. "The whole project was both exciting and fascinating. I love learning more about the Island I come from and its roots."
In this project, Quinn focused on sourcing and organizing images that could be used for the project, while Sarah digitized the archival content. Both students agree that working on Dr. McKague's project has been invaluable in sparking their interest in archival research, deepening their research skills and understanding the impact of historical documentation. Sarah hopes to continue her career in archival work, and Quinn aims to pursue graduate studies in history.
For students interested in research at CBU, Sarah and Quinn's advice is simple: enjoy the work and learn as much as possible. "Approach your work with an open mind," Sarah says.
"Although it is important to be thorough in your research, it's equally important to have fun with it," Quinn adds. "If you can find joy in the work, it doesn't feel like work at all, and it is a great way to build your skills as a researcher."
As the project wrapped up, both students were grateful for the opportunities to learn and grow during their undergraduate studies. "Digitization is a small but critical piece of the larger puzzle of archival access and outreach," Sarah says. "The work that I complete today helps benefit researchers tomorrow."
Quinn echoes this forward-thinking vision. "I hope Dr. McKague's book serves as a great template for further research into local Cape Breton history," he says. "I want to help both local and non-local people learn about the amazing historic communities on the Island and maybe even fuel the future interest of other academics and historians." Quinn is also proud knowing that the readers will flip through and see the images he helped pick out for the series.
Dr. McKague's research results in a series of 17 books documenting the business history of 17 communities across Cape Breton, including Sydney, Baddeck, Glace Bay and others. The books will include listings of every mercantile business operating from 1864 to 1927, compiled from historic credit rating agencies.
This research project not only preserves the rich history of Cape Breton businesses but also opens up opportunities for future scholars and the community to explore these stories in new ways. This work is a prime example of the energy and ideas that faculty, staff and new generations of students have brought to CBU over the past five decades, continue to bring today and will carry forward into the future.
Join us on Thursday, November 21, from 11:30am-1:00pm at the Yvonne LeVert Hospitality Suite for Dr. Kevin McKague's presentation on the Cape Breton Business History Book Series and celebrate the ways in which CBU continues to support and inspire groundbreaking research as we look to the next 50 years and beyond.
