Jocelyne Couture-Nowak

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Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
Born March 1958
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died April 16, 2007 (aged 49)
Blacksburg, Virginia
Nationality Canadian
Fields French language
Institutions Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Alma mater Nova Scotia Teachers College (Truro), Saint Mary's University (Halifax)

Jocelyne M. Couture-Nowak (March 1958 - April 16, 2007) was an instructor of French in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia and was the only Canadian victim of the Virginia Tech massacre. She was a native of Canada, and while residing in Truro, Nova Scotia, she co-founded the first Francophone school in the region.[1] [2]

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[edit] Life and career

Born in Montreal, Quebec as Jocelyne Couture, she was raised in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia as the eldest of five children. She graduated from Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School in 1981.

Couture initially worked at a newly-opened daycare operated by the Yarmouth Boys and Girls Club. She began to pursue her teaching career at the Nova Scotia Teachers College in Truro. She graduated in 1989 then obtained a degree from St. Mary's University in Halifax in the early 1990s. While living in Truro, Couture worked as a French instructor in the Humanities Department at Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC). She married Jerzy Nowak, an instructor in the Horticulture Department at NSAC. Couture-Nowak had two daughters, Sylvie and Francine Dulong.[3][4]

With two other local Francophone parents, Couture-Nowak established the École acadienne de Truro, the first French language public school for central Nova Scotia in September, 1997.[2][1] Operated by the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial, the École acadienne de Truro has grown from 36 students in 1997 to 118 students in grades Primary through 10. The school's first class of seniors graduated in 2006.[1]

In 2001, Couture-Nowak and her husband moved their family to Blacksburg, Virginia where her husband had accepted a position as Professor and Head of the Department of Horticulture at Virginia Tech. Couture-Nowak accepted a position as an Instructor of French in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature.[5]

Throughout her life Couture-Nowak described herself as being a proud French-Canadian.[6]

[edit] Death

Virginia Tech massacre
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Couture-Nowak was teaching an Intermediate French class in Room 211 at Norris Hall on the morning of April 16, 2007 when she was killed by Seung-Hui Cho as one of the 32 victims in the Virginia Tech massacre. Couture-Nowak, one of the first to be shot in Norris 211, was 49-years-old when she died.

After Clay Violand, one of Couture-Nowak's students, told her to place a desk in front of the door [7], Couture-Nowak had her students barricade the classroom door with a desk and then ushered her students to the back of the class for their safety while 911 was called. The attempt at barricading the door proved unsuccessful. [8] Couture-Nowak and 11 of the 22 registered students [9] perished. Couture-Nowak died in front of the door [2] and next to the teacher's desk. [3]

[edit] Posthumous recognition

In Nova Scotia, more than 400 people attended a commemorative service for her.[10] In speeches given in the Canadian parliament shortly after the shooting, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Opposition leader Stéphane Dion made special mention of Couture-Nowak. Nova Scotian Premier Rodney MacDonald also made special mention of Couture-Nowak, and in particular spoke of her contribution to the francophone community with her key role in the development of École acadienne in Truro.[11]

Couture-Nowak was discussed, along with Liviu Librescu, as potentially becoming the "iconic image that will forever recall the massacre at Virginia Tech" by CBC News Editor-in-Chief Tony Burman.[12]

Virginia Tech named her an Honorary Distinguished Instructor[13][14] and the Virginia Tech Foundation established the Jocelyne Couture-Nowak Scholarship, awarded to French majors annually.[15] Nova Scotia Agricultural College also established a bursary in her name.[16]

Students at Virginia Tech have also organized a new foreign language program named Teach for Madame in honor of Couture-Nowak, wherein members teach French to elementary school students.[17][18]

In May of 2008, Virginia Tech named Couture-Nowak's surviving husband Jerzy Nowak as the founding director of its newly created Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention.[19]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c "Jocelyne Couture-Nowak", Washington Post. Retrieved on 2007-04-19. 
  2. ^ a b Chaisson, Monique. "Remembering Jocelyne", Truro Daily News, August 11, 2007. 
  3. ^ Johnston, Beth. "Couture-Nowak had zest for life", The Daily News (Halifax), 2007-04-21. Retrieved on 2007-08-05. 
  4. ^ Joecelyne Couture Nowak. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
  5. ^ Jocelyne Couture-Nowak. Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
  6. ^ "Victim from Quebec was "proud Canadian, dedicated to French"", CBC News. Retrieved on 2007-04-17. 
  7. ^ "Virginia Tech tragedy - Pop, pop, then panic", St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-31. 
  8. ^ "Canadian's class hardest hit", Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2007-04-19. 
  9. ^ "Shooting Graphic".
  10. ^ Amis et ex-collègues de Jocelyne Couture-Nowak lui rendent hommage, Presse Canadienne, Published April 20, 2007, Retrieved on June 4, 2007. (French)
  11. ^ "Province Offers Condolences to Families of Virginia Tech Shooting Victims", Government of Nova Scotia. Retrieved on 2007-04-20. 
  12. ^ A story of victims and issues, not only the killer, Letters from the Editor in Chief, By Tony Burman, CBC News, April 18, 2007, retrieved July 24, 2007
  13. ^ "Virginia Tech graduation: Tears mix with joy as victims are honored", Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 13, 2007
  14. ^ Hincker, Larry. "2007-08 budget, new academic and student affairs building among the resolutions approved by Virginia Tech Board of Visitors", Virginia Tech, June 5, 2007. 
  15. ^ [1], Department of Horticulture at Virginia Tech website, Retrieved on Feb. 19, 2008.
  16. ^ Virginia Tech teacher remembered as loving, passionate
  17. ^ Roberts, Ashley. "Teaching for “Madame”", WSLS-TV, February 13, 2008. 
  18. ^ Mallory, Anna L.. "Virginia Tech students remember a teacher's 'natural gift'", The Roanoke Times, February 22, 2008. 
  19. ^ Miroff, Nick. "Professor Who Lost His Wife In Killings to Lead Peace Center", Washington Post, May 29, 2008. 

[edit] Further reading