May 16, 2014 – Orillia, ON

An award-winning environmental consultant, writer, artist, nature photographer, educator, and naturalist will receive Lakehead University’s 2014 Civitas Award. The award recipient, Robert Bowles of Orillia, is known throughout Simcoe County and Muskoka regions for his exemplary ecological stewardship.

The Civitas Award, given annually to a community member who has made a significant contribution to the University’s Orillia campus, will be awarded to Bowles at Lakehead’s Convocation ceremony on Saturday, June 7 (10:00 am) at Rotary Place, West Orillia Sports Complex.

Bowles’ connection to Lakehead University goes back to 2006 – the summer preceding the opening of the downtown Orillia campus — when he was approached by biologist and Lakehead Interdisciplinary Studies Professor Nanda Kanavillil to help set up environmental research studies for students.

“Robert’s relationship with Lakehead has continued to grow,” said Lakehead President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson. “His efforts and wisdom continue to provide our students, faculty, and staff with an exceptional understanding of complex ecosystems while forging valuable ties with their communities.”

“He is a true friend of Lakehead’s Orillia campus; one who promotes the University’s mission wherever he goes,” added Stevenson.

Among his many achievements, Bowles has founded Kids for Turtles Environmental Education, Friends of Scout Valley, and the Muskoka and Carden Field Naturalist groups. He also hosts the Rogers Cable TV series “Focus on Nature with Bob Bowles” and writes a weekly science and nature column for the Orillia Packet & Times.

Bowles is a member of the Community Relations Sub-committee of the Orillia Campus Advisory Committee and he is a frequent guest lecturer in programs such as Humanities 101.  

Past Civitas Award winners include: Will McGarvey (2013); Anderson Charters (2012); Paul Weber (2011); former mayor of Orillia, Ron Stevens (2010); Lloyd Dennis (2009); and Sue Mulcahy (2008).

Over 1,000 people are expected to attend this year’s convocation ceremony. In addition to conferring approximately 420 degrees at our Orillia campus, The Honourable Mary Anne Chambers, former Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, will receive an honorary doctorate of laws.

Lakehead University will confer over 2,000 degrees at its Convocation ceremonies in Orillia and Thunder Bay between May 30 and June 7. 

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Bob Bowles will receive the 2014 Lakehead University Civitas Award at the University’s Orillia campus Convocation on June 7.

Media: For more information, please contact Kathy Hunt, Communications Officer, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014, or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca. 

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1^st in Ontario and 2^nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.

April 29, 2014 – Orillia, ON

At Lakehead University’s next ‘In Conversation’ event at the Orillia Public Library, Lakehead’s Dr. Les Fleischer will discuss the challenges of maintaining a realistic, healthy body image.

In this final event of the series, Body Image and Time: Reality and Fantasy, Dr. Fleischer will share his research in the area of body image and time. “Experiences of body image and time are often distorted,” says Dr. Fleischer. “Our early body images never fully vanish.”

Dr. Fleischer is an assistant professor at Lakehead University Orillia. He is also a psychoanalyst and is on the faculty of the Toronto Institute of Psychoanalysis. His research interests include adult and adolescent mental health, psychoanalysis, dreams, and the education of mental health professionals.

This free public event takes place on Tuesday, May 6, from 6:30 – 8 pm at the Orillia Public Library. Registration is required and is accepted in person at the Orillia Public Library (36 Mississauga St. W.); by email info@orilliapubliclibrary.ca; or by phone at (705) 325-2338.

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Media: For more information, please contact Kathy Hunt, Communications Officer, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014, or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca.

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1^st in Ontario and 2^nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.

June 16, 2014 – Orillia, ON

A local web-based business has recently partnered with a Lakehead University software engineering team to develop a software system that will help bring the company to a leading edge position within its market.

Third Sector Publishing, based in Orillia, has an online resource, CharityCAN, which provides information on over 85,000 Canadian charities and foundations, as well as on the individuals and organizations that donate to them. In cooperation with the Globe and Mail, the company recently launched the “Top 1,000 Non-Profits Report,” modelled on the Globe’s Report on Business ranking of corporations.

The project with Lakehead is focused on the rapidly growing new research field of “big data,” the term used to describe the vast and complex amount of data available online.

“For any business that relies on the organization and retrieval of online data, this exponential growth – caused by continually increasing computer power – is a challenge,” said Anderson Charters, president of Third Sector Publishing. “The more complex our data becomes, the more important it is that we have sophisticated methods and tools to automate search tasks.”

Under the direction of Lakehead’s Dr. Rachid Benlamri, professor of Software Engineering at the Thunder Bay campus, a research team including two Master’s students and two research assistants are working with Third Sector Publishing to develop a software system to automate the content search requirements of CharityCAN.

“This groundbreaking research is an exciting project for us, as there has not many papers studying ‘big data’,” said Benlamri. “Our students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and creativity to cutting edge research and witness, first hand, how it will be used in a real company.”

The project is funded in part by the Ontario Centres of Excellence, which sees this project as just the first step in what could lead to bigger projects in the near future. Two federal funding bodies, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Connect Canada, also support the project.  

“We are extremely fortunate to have the opportunity of working with Dr. Benlamri and his research team,” said Charters. “The software and information technology developed from this project will help CharityCAN become more effective and solidify its leading position in the non-profit prospect research market.”

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Media: For more information, please contact Kathy Hunt, Communications Officer, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014, or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca.

Members of a Lakehead University business partnership team working on a state-of-the-art project in the new research field of “big data” (l–r): Lakehead University research assistant Greg Hill; Jamieson Bruce, Third Sector Publishing; Third Sector Publishing President Anderson Charters; Lakehead University student Kyle Galvin; Dr. Rachid Benlamri, Professor, Lakehead University; and Tim Charters, Third Sector Publishing. 

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1^st in Ontario and 2^nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.

Members of the acoustic roots group, My Sweet Patootie, performing at this year’s Mariposa Folk Festival, will be part of the instructional team at Mariposa U, taking place at Lakehead University on Friday, July 4.

June 4, 2014 – Orillia, ON

A new dimension has been added to the popular Mariposa Folk Festival this year, thanks to a creative partnership with Lakehead University. A one-of-a-kind day of interactive workshops led by Festival performers will be offered on Friday, July 4, the opening day of the Festival.

The “Mariposa U” day will feature professional musicians from across the folk music spectrum teaching some of the stylistic tricks, techniques and methods of the folk trade in small class settings.

“Folk Festival fans and aspiring musicians will get to learn first-hand from Mariposa Folk Festival performers,” said Mike Hill, Mariposa Folk Festival artistic director.

The Mariposa Folk Festival is legendary for bringing great musicians from across North America and around the world to Orillia for one magical weekend each summer. Regular attendees know the experience of watching a performer on stage and wondering, “How do they do that?”

 “We want to give people a chance to deepen their festival experience. Mariposa U is intended to get that knowledge and skill into the hands of non-professional players,” explained Hill.

A wide range of instruction, from Celtic fiddle to hip-hop, and from swing guitar to harmony singing, is offered, all facilitated by Mariposa performers. Participants will be able to register for up four sessions from a total of 16 different offerings.

A driving force behind the creation of Mariposa U, Lakehead Orillia’s Dean & Vice-Provost Kim Fedderson, is excited about the program’s potential. “Audiences all over the world are seeking ways to break out of being spectators to become creators in their own right. This is an opportunity to really expand the creative experience of the Festival.”

Mariposa U takes place at Lakehead University in downtown Orillia (1 Colborne Street West) from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Friday, July 4.  The fee to attend individual 70-minute workshops is $30, while the cost for the full day, including four workshops and lunch, is $100. Lunch is provided for those who register for two or more sessions. Class sizes are limited, so book early.

To see a full list of the class offerings, schedules, performer/facilitator bios and to register go to www.mariposafolk.com and follow the links for Mariposa U @ Lakehead. Information is also available through the Mariposa Folk Festival office at 705-326-3655.

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Media: For more information, contact Kathy Hunt, Communications Officer at kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca or 705-330-4008 ext. 2014.

See full Mariposa U schedule here: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/about/orillia-campus/community-programs/mariposa-u

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1^st in Ontario and 2^nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.

Mariposa Folk Festival is one of Canada's oldest and most beloved music events. Organized by the Mariposa Folk Foundation, whose mission is to promote and preserve folk and roots culture in Canada, and after more than 50 years of presenting, MFF is an internationally recognized hub of creativity and creative expertise.. Mariposa U @ Lakehead is one way that we further this cause. For more information about the Foundation, or to buy tickets for the Festival, go to www.mariposafolk.com

A graduating business class taught by Dr. Herman van den Berg at Lakehead University’s Orillia campus recently conducted a business study for Orser Technical Services of Orillia. Orser General Manager Ray Gammon and President Tony Telford (seated l – r) attended the final class in April to receive the students’ final reports and presentations.

May 15, 2014 – Orillia, ON

The final class for a group of Lakehead business students last month was not your average end-of-term get-together.  For the ten students who were completing their business degrees, they spent their last class making strategic business recommendations to the senior management team of Orser Technical Services, based in Orillia.

The capstone assignment was part two of a fourth-year Strategy Management course taught by associate professor of business, Dr. Herman van den Berg.

“This was the students’ opportunity to apply all that they had studied over the course of the program,” explained van den Berg. Students were required to analyze an existing organization and to submit a detailed report of their findings, analyses, and recommendations for the future. “I think it’s important to do this in a real world situation, rather than through a case study,” added van den Berg.

The students agreed. 

“This was the most hands-on, practical experience we’ve had,” said student Andrew Palubiskie. “What made it interesting was the fact that it was a smaller business with restricted resources. Our textbook learning was primarily focused on larger corporations.”

“Being able to talk to a CEO was great,” added Brandon MacDonald. “It made it personal and we found out that these business leaders are just like us.”

Orser Technical Services president Tony Telford, along with general manager Ray Gammon, quickly agreed to be part of the project when approached by van den Berg.  “We support the University and understand its value in our community,” said Telford. “As a member of the community, we are committed to helping build the synergy between the school and the business community – this is how we pay back.”

Both Telford and Gammon were impressed with the students’ presentations and recommendations.

“I was surprised at the parallel visions between the students and ourselves,” said Telford. “They were very observant and intuitive; some of their recommendations were things we’ve also discussed and have considered implementing.  “We definitely have takeaways from each group,” added Gammon.

For student Cindy Karikari, the project brought her studies into focus. “It showed us what was really important in this degree and what is most useful to apply; and a great preparation for the real world.”

Lindsay Lewis said it was interesting to find that their textbook analysis had so many similarities to a real management team. “We were really on the same page,” she said. “It’s cool to see that our academic backgrounds are in line with where this company was at in terms of challenges and solutions.”

The value that the project brought to the students was what was most exciting to Telford. “The student reports, with their fresh perspectives, will be beneficial to our business, but we hope that what the students gain from the exercise will surpass what we get. Ultimately, it’s a win-win situation.” “That’s the intention,” added van den Berg.

The students will graduate with their Honours Bachelor of Commerce (HBComm), or in the case of transfer students, a Bachelor of Administration (BAdmin) degree at the University’s convocation ceremony this June.

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April 30, 2014 – Orillia, ON

Your kids could be heading off to university sooner than you think!

This summer, Lakehead Orillia's day camp is back, giving kids 6 - 13 years of age a sneak peek into university life. Starting July 7, the University is offering four one-week camp sessions, beginning with Camp U 101 (July 7 – 11) that will give campers a taste of arts, science and nature themed activities. The following weeks will each focus on one theme area: Arts U (July 14 – 18), Super Science (July 21 – 25) and Nuts for Nature (July 28 – August 1).

New this year is the first camp week – Camp U 101, which gives campers the opportunity to explore a variety of activities. Similar to a first year of university, this week will provide an interesting overview, giving the campers a perfect way to help decide which additional of weeks of camp to attend.

Camp Director Neil Quinn, athletics and recreation facilitator at the Orillia campus, says he is excited about how this year’s camp program is coming together. “All members of the Camp U staff are either current students, enrolled in Lakehead University's Bachelor of Education program, or have graduated and are certified to teach in Ontario. They all have experience working with children, and represent some of our top student and graduate leaders.” Quinn adds that the campers will experience specialized activities led by some of the University’s professors.  

All camp weeks feature a day at the beach and options for extended care and nutritious meal plans. Older campers spend one night in the campus residence — another exciting way to experience university life.

Camp U registration is on weekly basis with online registration available at www.lakeheadu.ca.  For further information, contact Neil Quinn at 705-330-4008, ext. 2116 or orathlet@lakeheadu.ca

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This summer, Lakehead Orillia's Camp U day camp is back, giving kids 6 - 13 years of age a sneak peek into university life. Starting July 7, the University is offering four one-week camp sessions focused on different themes: Camp U 101, Arts U, Super Science, and Nuts for Nature.

Media:  For more information, please contact Lakehead University’s Communications Officer, Kathy Hunt, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014 or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca.

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1^st in Ontario and 2^nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.

Orillia, ON – July 17, 2014

Like most teenage boys, Eric Hill does not always do what his parents think is best. When they encouraged him to visit Lakehead University’s Orillia campus, where he would be studying in the fall, he was reluctant to make the trip.

The purpose of the trip was to attend the University’s Fast Pass program, which Eric – though nervous about starting university – didn’t feel would be useful. His mother Barb believed it would be beneficial for Eric to visit Orillia to get a sense of the campus and meet some new people.

Eric eventually agreed, and made the trip to Orillia with his mom. A graduate of Northern Secondary School in Toronto, Eric is enrolled in Lakehead’s Honours Bachelor of Arts & Science/Bachelor of Education program.

After spending a couple of hours at the campus, the pair emerged feeling like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders – turns out that mom was right.

“I would 100% recommend the Fast Pass experience to incoming students,” said Eric. “New students would be crazy not to do this!”

Fast Pass is an opportunity offered by Lakehead University during the months of June and July to incoming students and their parents and friends.  In addition to touring the campus, attending information sessions presented by current students, staff and faculty, new students benefit from one-on-one guidance to complete course registration.

“As a first-year student, understanding program requirements and registering for courses can be a confusing and stressful experience, and we aim to reduce this through our Fast Pass program,” said Simon Looker, one of the Student Affairs advisors responsible for organizing the program.

Barb agreed that the registration system was somewhat daunting. She had quickly glanced at the course registration website at home and realized that it may not be the easiest process. This realization was the main reason for the visit to Lakehead and she was very satisfied with the experience.

“Kudos to everyone who put it together,” she said.  “I applaud them, especially the student volunteers, who were just the best.”

Barb was impressed, not only with the registration assistance, but with the campus itself. Finally seeing where her son would be spending the next four to five years of his life was enjoyable, and she felt secure knowing that the campus is new, safe and environmentally friendly.

Eric had a similar experience. When asked, he said his most valuable takeaways from the day were having the help to pick courses, and learning about what Lakehead had to offer. He also realized that he would be more than just another student number at Lakehead. “It was great to see the strong sense of community at the campus,” he said.

The once nervous Eric is now counting down the days until September and cannot wait to meet new people and get involved in campus activities. He could not be happier with his decision to attend Lakehead and looks forward to proudly joining the Thunderwolves Pack at Orientation activities in the fall.

The Fast Pass program continues at the Orillia campus on Fridays, July 18 and 25. The program is open to incoming students at both the Orillia and Thunder Bay campuses. For details, visit mylakehead.ca.

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New Lakehead student, Eric Hill of Toronto, registers for courses with the help of Student Advisor Jackie Bean, as his mother looks on.

Current students explain the typical day in the life of a Lakehead student to new students and their families at Fast Pass, the University’s summer orientation program.

March 31, 2014 – Orillia, ON

Lakehead University Orillia celebrated the achievements of its athletes and sports teams on Saturday evening at its Annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held at the Best Western Mariposa Inn in Orillia. The event paid tribute to the accomplishments of student athletes over the 2013-14 academic year.

Awards were presented to top student athletes in each of the University’s sports teams: men’s hockey, women’s hockey, men’s basketball, co-ed soccer, and equestrian. Most Valuable, Most Improved and Leadership awards were announced and presented by the team coaches, who were also recognized and thanked by the University.

“The banquet is an opportunity for us to say thank you to the athletes and coaches who have represented Lakehead University with distinction,” said Neil Quinn, Athletics and Recreation Facilitator at the Orillia campus.

“We’ve had a number of successes this year,” explained Quinn. “Our men’s hockey team qualified for the end-of-the-year ‘Challenge Cup’ in the first year of their eligibility; both our men’s basketball and co-ed soccer teams came home with fair play awards; and two of our equestrian athletes completed the season with top ten standing.”

The event was also an opportunity for the athletes to hear from keynote speaker, Johnny Waite, owner/operator of Alter Ego Life Adventure Company, and special guest, Michelle Cowell, former Olympic and Canadian championship athlete.

Waite inspired the audience by sharing stories about his motivation to compete in marathons, extreme racing and endurance events. Cowell also captured the students’ attention when she talked about the perseverance and hard work required to excel as an Olympic athlete and Canada’s most decorated triple jumper. 

An enthusiastic supporter of athletics at Lakehead’s Orillia campus, Cowell initiated a monthly Athletic Achievement Award this year on behalf of award sponsor, Plastics Protect and HollisWealth – Benson Kearley IFG. At the banquet, Cowell presented awards to the Jenna Sittek, English equestrian (January), Eric Steward, co-ed soccer (February), and Brandon Burnett, men’s hockey (March). Previous winners, awarded earlier in the school year, were Megan Higgins, women’s hockey (November) and Casey Blanca, basketball (December).

Quinn thanked the athletes and coaches for their outstanding commitment and performance and also expressed appreciation to the evening’s speakers and supporters, including award donor Plastics Protect & HollisWealth – Benson Kearley IFG, and the Best Western.

“The growth of the athletics program this year has been wonderful, with almost 100 athletes participating and competing under the Thunderwolves banner,” said Quinn. “Our community partners and supporters have helped us accomplish this and we look forward to many more athletic banquets in the future as we celebrate our students and their continued success.”

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At Lakehead Orillia’s Annual Athletic Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 29, Johnny Waite of Orillia inspires Lakehead athletes with stories of his motivation to embark on new athletic challenges.

Jenna Sittek, a member of Lakehead University’s English equestrian team, receives an Athletic Achievement Award from Michelle Cowell (right) and Elvira Bushmakina, representing award sponsor, Plastics Protect and HollisWealth – Benson Kearley IFG.

Lakehead Orillia Athletic Award Winners 2013-2014

Men’s hockey: MVP, Carter Atkinson (St. Thomas); MIP, Nolan McMechan (Bradford); Leadership: Steven Ashbridge (Port Perry) Coach: Ted Wilson
Women’s hockey: MVP, Brianne Martin (Oakville); MIP, Rachael Monte (Caledonia; Leadership, Meagan Higgins (Brussels) Coach: Trevor Ritchie, Melissa Pearson
English equestrian: MVP, Jenna Sittek (Barrie); MIP, Holly Easterbrook (Barrie); Leadership, Jennifer Lucas (Barrie) Coach: Heidi Mueller, Rushmount Equine Sports
Western equestrian: MVP, Rebecca Dimoff (Kanata); MIP, Justine Gatrell (Barrie); Leadership, Ayra Colton (Belleville) Coach: Jamie Chamberland, Kelly Simpson Training Centre
Men’s basketball: MVP, Joshua Magpantay (Winnipeg); MIP, Trevor Boucher (Ottawa); Leadership, Jordan Watt (Beaverton) Coach: Curtis Fogel
Co-ed soccer: MVP, Brandon Richards (Barrie); MIP, Emily Brinks (Pefferlaw); Leadership, Eric Steward (Oakville) Coach: Eric Frohmann

Plastics Protect and HollisWealth – Benson Kearley IFG Athletic Achievement Award Winners

November: Megan Higgins (Brussels), women’s hockey

December: Casey Blanca (Winnipeg), basketball

January: Jenna Sittek (Barrie), English equestrian

February: Eric Steward (Oakville), co-ed soccer

March: Braiden Burnett (Orillia), men’s hockey 

Media: For more information, please contact Kathy Hunt, Communications Officer, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014, or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca.

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1^st in Ontario and 2^nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.

Student Undergraduate Research Day is an opportunity to discover the wide variety of research taking place at Lakehead Orillia. Shown at the 2013 Research & Innovation Week are (l to r): Kendra Hole and Emily Wale, with Greg Preston from the City of Orillia.

February 25, 2014 – Orillia, ON

Lakehead University celebrates its Research & Innovation Week March 1 to 7 at both the Orillia and Thunder Bay campuses with a wide variety of student and faculty presentations and special events. 

“This is an opportunity for the community to learn about the vast amount of research taking place at the Orillia campus and its impact on the local community,” said Dr. Michael Stevenson, Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, and coordinator of Research & Innovation Week activities at Lakehead Orillia.

The official kick-off to the week takes place on Tuesday, March 4, 11:30 am, with opening remarks from Dr. Rod Hanley, Lakehead Provost and Vice-President (Academic), followed by presentations from Lakehead Orillia faculty members, Dr. Sree Kurissery and Dr. Linda Rodenburg, and their students. 

One of the highlights of the week will be a new Undergraduate Student Research Day, taking place on Wednesday, March 5. Visitors to the campus will be able to hear presentations by student researchers and view an extensive poster presentation.

“This will be a rare opportunity to hear about and see a wide variety of student research projects,” said Stevenson. “All disciplines will be represented, including a wide array of topics and research methods – come prepared to see anything; it will be a fun day!”

On Thursday, March 6, a second set of talks by faculty members will focus on urban development, Canada’s water resources and the process of becoming a psychoanalyst. 

To conclude the week, members of the public are invited to hear a special guest, The Honourable Andy Mitchell, former federal Cabinet Minister, as he discusses “Politics from the Inside Out” with a Political Science class. The talk takes place on Friday, March 7, at 11:30 am.

All events take place at 500 University Avenue and are free and open to the public. For a detailed schedule of all events, please visit lakeheadu.ca

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Media: For more information, please contact Kathy Hunt, Communications Officer, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014, or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca.

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1^st in Ontario and 2^nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.

April 7, 2014 – Orillia, ON

by Eric Steward, BAdmin ‘14

Lakehead Orillia student Conor Jones shares his experience studying abroad

Conor Jones of Orillia is in his third year of the Honours Bachelor Commerce program at Lakehead University. In May 2013 May, he began exploring the idea of studying abroad for the 2013 fall semester. Conor worked with the Lakehead Orillia Student Affairs Department to organize a trip to Sweden. After receiving a Student Exchange Bursary through Lakehead University International, he was able to pack his bags and set out on his journey.

How have you enjoyed your experience at Lakehead Orillia so far?

My experience has been great. Outside of my studies I have found it is the personability of all the various aspects of the university that really make Lakehead what it is. Lakehead has given me the opportunity to accomplish many of the things I have strived for, both on and off campus.

What school were you attending in Sweden and where is it located?

I was studying at the UmeåSchool of Business and Economics in Umeå, Sweden – one of the larger cities in Northern Sweden.

Why did you decide to study abroad?

Studying abroad has always been something that I have wanted to do. The idea first surfaced from when I was travelling a number of years ago. I wanted to be able to travel somewhere in the context of ‘living’ rather than merely ‘visiting.’ Being able to establish a routine in a completely different culture seemed like a very attractive idea to me.

What was your experience like, during your first few weeks in Sweden?

The first couple of weeks in Sweden were all very surreal. It was not an overly large culture shock or anything; however it is the little changes and variations that you really notice at first. What really made the first few weeks surreal was being surrounded by so many students from all over the world. Umeå is very much a university town, and therefore is crawling with students.  

Did you have any language issues?

Language really wasn’t as much of an issue as I expected it to be. Entering the country I was fully prepared with a small book of Swedish expressions constantly holstered. However, I never really had to use it: The Swedes I met spoke fluent English, and our schoolwork was in English, as were most of the materials associated with the University.

How is school different in Sweden compared to Orillia?

Well, the obvious one here is the system as a whole. Here, we take a full course load of five courses at one time over the course of a semester. In Sweden, you would take a number of different modules, often one at a time, over the course of a semester. Essentially this broke down to studying one course intensively over a one-month period. When compared to Lakehead’s Orillia campus, the most obvious difference is size.  Umeå has a student population of nearly 40,000, while Orillia has about 1,400 students.

Can you describe an average day?

Wake up, coffee (fika), class for two hours, lunch, study for three hours, coffee, mischief.

What was the hardest thing to adjust to?

The style of academics. All academic teachings and projects were based on peer-reviewed journals for the most part. I had used these before, however never to this extent.

How has this experience enhanced your education?

In so many ways I feel this experience has enhanced my education. Stepping outside of our culture and into the day-to-day life of another community and country gave me a whole new perspective of things.

What was your biggest takeaway from studying abroad?

How similar we all are. After a little while you begin to notice that aside from all the noticeable differences, such as language and culture, we are all cut from the same cloth.

Would you recommend studying abroad to other students?

Yes! You will not regret it, even for a moment.

What did you do in your free time?

The school was pretty good at organizing events for international students; there was always something to do. I managed to get some traveling in throughout Scandinavia and Europe.

What was your favourite Swedish food?

Coffee!

What advice would you give to someone considering studying abroad?

Make sure to do your research. Knowing as much as you can about where you are going will only help you. Make sure that you do everything in your power to make the most of it.

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Lakehead student, Conor Jones (far left), and a group of fellow international students, representing five countries, take a break during a 10-day trip along the northern coast of Norway.

Conor Jones