Ella Cusack

07/22/2026

This summer has been so wonderful in so many ways. I love the people in Grand Bay-Westfield and their kindness so much. ❤️

More than 300 rural New Brunswickers and counting are building the skills and confidence to make technology work for them.

Through McKenna Connect, 11 UNB Student Digital Mentors are offering free workshops and one-on-one support in communities across the province. From helping older adults access essential online services and stay connected with family to supporting small businesses with digital marketing, the program is meeting people where they are and responding to the needs of their communities.

This program is helping people develop the knowledge and confidence to use their tech to its full potential independently, on their own terms.

Thank you to Your Saint John, Your Greater Moncton, and Your Charlotte County (Acadia Broadcasting) for highlighting the students and communities driving this work and to the Crabtree Foundation for making McKenna Connect possible.

07/20/2026

Hello all!

Join me in the River Valley Room on Wednesday, July 22nd, for a workshop about digital literacy and healthy aging! 💻

We will talk about health apps, fitness tracking, entertainment apps, travel, accessibility, banking online, and more! 🫀🌍

As always, there will be a Q&A at the end with one-on-one support!

Thank you, and I hope to see everyone there!

07/10/2026

To kick off the start of summer, I had the pleasure of hosting a workshop for the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield Monday Art Group. 🎨

Together, we talked about accessibility features, social media, AI, protection against phishing scams, practice recognizing scams, and more! 📱

Afterwards, we held a Q&A session where the group was able to ask questions and receive one-on-one support! 💻

Thank you to the wonderful members of the Art Group for their participation and questions. I loved working with all of you, and I hope to do so again. ☺️

The McKenna Institute

07/07/2026

This week, I had the pleasure of hosting a workshop for community members in Town of Grand Bay-Westfield in partnership with Connected Canadians ! ☺️

We learned about preparing to learn online. Together, we practiced bookmarking and searching websites, identifying whether a website is secure, and making searching more accessible. This session was accompanied by lots of coffee, treats, and a random draw for a Tim Hortons gift card! 🎂

Following the workshop, we had a wonderful Q&A session. Community members continued to build their confidence and put their newfound skills into practice. 💻

Thank you to all the community members of Grand Bay-Westfield for their support and engagement!

The McKenna Institute

06/30/2026

Happy National Social Media Day to all! 🌍

06/26/2026

Come learn about preparing to learn online on July 6th in the River Valley Room from 1 to 2.☺️

There will be complimentary drinks for everyone and a draw for a $20 Tim Hortons gift card! ☕️

I will be hosting a Q&A after the presentation and providing one-on-one support! 💻

The workshop is delivered in parternship with Connected Canadians, a national Canadian non-profit charity dedicated to providing free digital literacy training and technology support for older adults.

06/18/2026

Such an incredible group of people and such a wonderful opportunity!❤️

This summer, 11 UNB students are bringing digital support directly to rural communities across New Brunswick through the McKenna Connect program. ☀️💻

Offering direct support, workshops, and community engagements, these mentors are helping older adults, local businesses, and non-profit organizations know how to use the tools, skills and support needed to make the most of technology and online services.

By connecting university talent with community needs, McKenna Connect helps communities build digital confidence while providing meaningful experiential learning opportunities for students.

This work is made possible through the generous support of the Crabtree Foundation, whose investment is helping bring practical digital support, stronger connections, and greater confidence to communities across New Brunswick.

Reach out to [email protected] to connect with a Student Digital Mentor in your area.

06/18/2026