FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, June 12, 2017—The Editors’ Association of Canada (Editors Canada) has announced that Irina Malakhova of Hamilton, Ontario, is the recipient of the 2016 Claudette Upton Scholarship.
The scholarship was presented at the association’s annual awards banquet in Ottawa-Gatineau on June 10, 2017. This scholarship is a $1,000 cash award intended to support continuing professional development in editing.
About this year’s recipient
Going through school, Malakhova had many different interests. A meandering academic path led to an MA in Classics. She studied Latin and ancient Greek, and always enjoyed learning about different languages. Thinking about how to transfer her academic experiences into a career, Malakhova realized that editing was the right choice for her.
Currently enrolled in Ryerson University’s Publishing Program, Malakhova plans to pursue a career as a copy editor. At Ryerson, she was the recipient of the 2016 Wallace A. Matheson Award for Creativity and Innovation in Educational Publishing.
“While [educational] publishing is a profit-driven industry,” Malakhova explains, “I believe strongly that those creating educational resources should be intimately familiar with current research—rather than trends—in education.”
Malakhova is also working on her first major freelancing contract: copy editing a collection of scholarly articles in the field of Classics and Archaeology.
“I’m happy that in the end, years of studying dead languages has paid off!” she laughs. She feels fortunate to be able to use her skills while learning about current research in the field she studied. “What a perfect way to jump into the freelancing world.”
Malakhova has a long travel bucket list, with destinations including Iceland, Argentina and Gros Morne National Park. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, baking and reading.
When asked what she likes most about editing, Malakhova replies, “I like that in editing you are always learning, always questioning. I think my curious nature serves me well as an editor.”
Selection committee
The selection committee for the Claudette Upton Scholarship consisted of three esteemed editors who have each been recognized by Editors Canada.
An accomplished writer and editor, Peter Moskos specializes in plain language writing and teaching. A member of Editors Canada for more than 20 years, he has co-chaired the certification steering committee and has served on the national executive council. He is also a recipient of the Honorary Certified Professional Editor CPE (Hon.) designation.
Frances Peck, CPE (Hon.), is a North Vancouver-based partner with West Coast Editorial Associates. She teaches at Douglas College and the University of British Columbia and gives workshops across Canada.
Lindsay Vermeulen is a writer and editor in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the recipient of the 2015 Claudette Upton Scholarship. She is currently employed as an editor at Quietly Media, and is working on her first novel.
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About Editors Canada
Additional information about the Claudette Upton Scholarship is available on the Editors Canada website.
Editors Canada began in 1979 as the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada to promote and maintain high standards of editing. In 1994, the word “Freelance” was dropped to reflect the association’s expanding focus to serve both freelance and in-house editors. As Canada’s only national editorial association, it is the hub for 1,300 members and affiliates, both salaried and freelance, who work in the corporate, technical, government, not-for-profit and publishing sectors. The association’s professional development programs and services include professional certification, an annual conference, seminars, webinars, guidelines for fair pay and working conditions, and networking with other associations. Editors Canada has five regional branches: British Columbia; Saskatchewan; Toronto; Ottawa–Gatineau; and Quebec/Atlantic Canada, as well as smaller branches (called twigs) in Calgary, Edmonton, Manitoba, Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph, Hamilton/Halton, Kingston, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Media Contact
Michelle Ou
Senior Communications Manager
Editors Canada
416 975-1379 / 1 866 226-3348
communications@editors.ca