Concordia’s 2024-25 Susan Jeanne Briscoe Fellowship winner is Emilie Lafleur

Alumna Emilie Lafleur is this year’s recipient of the Susan Jeanne Briscoe Fellowship Award. Established in memory of the late writer and artist Susan Jeanne Briscoe, this fellowship is awarded competitively based on academic merit to recent graduates of Concordia who have completed an MA, MFA, or PhD and whose creative practice focuses on writing. Eligible programs include Studio Arts, the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, Creative Writing, Humanities PhD (HUMA) and Individualized Programs (INDI).

Lafleur, who completed her MA in English with a Creative Writing option in 2023, has secured a $35,000 bursary to advance her writing pursuits. Her engagement with Concordia’s literary community and her innovative exploration of experimental writing forms distinguished her as an exemplary candidate for this award.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the 2024-25 Susan Jeanne Briscoe Fellowship,” Lafleur expresses.

“This fellowship not only provides crucial financial support but also serves as a profound encouragement for my ongoing creative journey. My sincere gratitude goes to Concordia University and the Briscoe family for their generosity and belief in my work.”

In her proposal, Lafleur expressed a keen interest in exploring the poetics of conspiracy theories through her project titled "Now We’re Ready to See." This ambitious work builds on Lafleur’s extensive background in citational, research-based writing, which she honed under the guidance of esteemed professors and through publications in notable journals and anthologies, such as Expat Press, Metatron’s Glyphöria, The End Magazine, Vallum Magazine, and others.

Lafleur's project will delve into linguistic processes and grammars associated with conspiracy theories, exploring their cultural significance and impact in contemporary discourse. Her research will include attending seminars on quantum language parse syntax grammar and explore forms of expression associated with neuro-linguistic programming, enriching her approach to creative writing.

With the support of the bursary, Lafleur looks forward to dedicating herself fully to her research and creative writing throughout the upcoming year.