Kate McKenna

Alumni of Distinction Award Recipient
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Kate McKenna

Alumni of Distinction

Kate McKenna

Award Category
Recent Graduate
Award Year
Program of Study
Public Relations
Graduation Year

After attending Queen's University for 5 years and obtaining a BA in Women's Studies and a BEd in Senior Social Studies, Kate McKenna decided to enroll in Mohawk's Public Relation's post-graduate program. It was at Mohawk that Kate honed her skills to eventually land her a dream job as Host of an Online Travel Web Series. While attending Queen's University, Kate was on the school paper, played on two varsity teams and attained high enough grads to be on the Dean's Honours List. Kate’s one year at Mohawk saw a continuation of her achievements by graduating on the Dean's List, receiving a Faculty Award, volunteering as the student rep for the Public Relations Advisory Committee and being the Public Relations Assistant for Media Fest.

In a short time since graduating, Kate has already accomplished quite a bit in her young career. Upon graduation Kate was hired as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats In-game and online host, where she routinely hosted, edited and produced amusing online videos, interviewing players, fans and coaching staff. In the winter of 2010, Kate beat out 2,500 other applicants to land the dream job of Professional Vacationer for Transat Holidays. Her one-year position has brought her to 12 different destinations, where she has hosted, conceptualized, wrote, edit, shot and produced online features from her trips. During this time, Kate has also been a travel writer for The Hamilton Spectator, writing one story a month about the people she meets on her travels.

Kate has said that, “despite having spent five years at university before coming to Mohawk, it was at the Fennell Campus, in the confines of the public relations classroom, where (she) embarked on (her) professional career path- one that began in Hamilton and managed to wind its way to places like Athens, Dublin and Istanbul in just over a year.

The practical knowledge I gained at Mohawk was critical in terms of helping me achieve success as a graduate. Taking nothing away from the theoretical, in-classroom lessons because they too were valuable, it was learning about resume building, sitting on advisory committees and creating community connections that helped me get to where I am, in a job that challenges me, that satisfies me and that makes me happy. I enjoy what I do for a living, something I’ve always hoped to be able to say and something I will work to continue to be able to say.

Mohawk also means a lot to me on another level. It was where my Mom, Sue Prestedge, was educated and where she honed the broadcast skills that vaulted her to a remarkable career, one that I have always emulated and immensely respected.”

In 2012, Kate was the CFL Grey Cup Train social media correspondent, stopping in cities and towns across Canada leading up to the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto. In the Fall of 2013, Kate became the segment producer and segment host of CTV's new talk show, The Social.