Wayne Young

Wayne Young graduated from the Journalism program at Holland College in 1978. He went on to work at several daily newspapers including the Amherst Daily News, The Guardian, and The Journal Pioneer, first in layout and design, then for many years as a reporter/photographer. Later, he had roles as a bureau manager, editorialist, managing editor, and opinion page columnist.

In 1996, Young moved from the editor’s desk at The Journal-Pioneer in Summerside to the Journalism instructor’s office at Holland College in Charlottetown, where he worked until his retirement in 2019.

Through his captivating writing in daily and weekly newspapers and his thoughtful approach to teaching in the Journalism program, he has touched the lives of many on and off the Island. His impact on his students is evident in many tangible ways. In fact, one of his former students established an award in his name and honour. She said she wanted to create a legacy for Wayne and to acknowledge the impact he had on so many of his students.

Entering Wayne’s classroom for the first time, students quickly learned how passionate he was about the field of journalism. Students loved him as a teacher because he was easy to talk to and he was genuinely interested in their lives and well-being.

Teaching in and of itself is a service to the community, where students are shown how to conduct themselves in a professional setting. Wayne went above and beyond and did everything in his power to ensure his students would graduate feeling confident in themselves and their skills.

In the application for this honour, several students offered first-hand stories on how Wayne’s influence directly impacted the trajectory of their lives and careers. He inspired them to be the best version of themselves, has been a leader in the field of journalism, and has left an indelible mark.

Wayne and his wife, Sheri, live in Summerside and have three daughters, Allyson, Leslie and Jessica.

Wayne received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2022.